A Difficult Decision
When faced with an unplanned pregnancy, women of all ages and backgrounds have the difficult choice between parenting, adoption and abortion. Knowing yourself and your own values will help you make the most responsible decision while thinking about how this pregnancy will affect your life - now and in the future. This is your choice but you do not have to make it alone. See out the people who will support you: your partner, family, friends, religious community, school counselor or other trusted adult. You can also speak with a Planned Parenthood staff person who will provide confidential, non-judgmental and objective counseling to help you make your decision.

A Word about Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Crisis Pregnancy Centers are anti-abortion groups, often religious in nature and funding, disguised as abortion clinics. Their only goal is to stop you from having an abortion. Most are staffed by non-medical volunteers.

Often located near legitimate healthcare providers or Planned Parenthood centers, these CPC's lure unsuspecting women with free pregnancy tests. Once inside, women are subjected to antiabortion propaganda, misinformation and intimidation in an attempt to prevent them from having an abortion.

Remember: it is your right to receive non-biased information about all of your pregnancy options.

Abortion Law and Minors
We encourage women 17 and under to involve a parent or family member in the decision to have an abortion.  In addition, the State of Georgia requires women under 18 to comply with the Parental Notification Law which means that a teen must notify a parent or guardian of her decision.  Notification can be done in person, with a parent or guardian accompanying a teen to the clinic, or by telephone, or the clinic may notify a parent through a letter.  Telephone or mailed notification must be followed by a waiting period to allow consultation between the teen and her parent or guardian, but such waiting period may be waived by the parent or guardian.  Finally, if a teen feels she cannot talk to her parent or guardian about her decision, she may go to court and ask a judge to waive the notification requirement.  For more information about the law, please call Planned Parenthood at 404-688-9300, ext 334.

"Women's right to Know" Law
In 2005, Georgia passed a law requiring that at least 24 hours before an abortion, a woman is told of the following:

• the medical risks associated with the abortion procedure that will be used to end the pregnancy
• the probable gestational age of the pregnancy at the time of the abortion
• the medical risks associated with continuing the pregnancy to term
• that medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal care, childbirth and neonatal care
• that the father will be liable to assist in the support of the child
• that printed materials that describe the fetus, list of agencies that offer alternatives to abortion, and contain (medically unfounded
• information about fetal pain and the state-sponsored website on which these materials may be reviewed prior to the abortion.

Click here for more information about abortion procedures.