by Sarah Zagorski | LifeNews.com | 2/2/15 5:16 PM

In the book, The Abortion Resource Handbook, pro­abortion author, K Kaufmann, encourages teenagers not to tell their parents about their abortion experiences. She writes, “However sad or angry you feel right now, keep in mind that not involving a parent is often a sign of maturity – that you are able to make and take responsibility for your own decisions. Keeping the pregnancy and abortion a secret may even turn out to be a positive experience.

For many young women, it may be one of the first times they make an important or life­changing decision on their own, and they may feel more confident and better about themselves as a result.” Well, she’s definitely right about one thing; abortion is a life­changing decision but it will not make a teen feel better about herself. In fact, studies show that teenagers who’ve had abortions are ten­times more likely to commit suicide than teens who haven’t.

As LifeNews previously reported, it is critical that teenagers who’ve had abortions receive the care they need afterwards and parents can’t provide that if they don’t know about it.

Furthermore, girls who obtain “secret” abortions often do so because they are forced by older men who impregnated them, and then return to abusive situations.

Psychologist Dr. Vincent Rue has talked about what happens when teens hide abortions from their parents: “When an adolescent elects abortion without parental consultation, she must inevitably return to her family context. However, she returns with a secret that shames and emotionally strains her coping abilities. She must employ increased deception to protect her secret and to protect herself from her perceived fears of being found out and condemned by her parents and siblings.”

News stories frequently reveal yet another teen who has been sexually abused by a person in authority—a coach, teacher, or someone else. Daily, teens are taken to abortion clinics without the consent or even the knowledge of their parents.  Ultimately, though, teenagers shouldn’t be making the decision to have an abortion without the consent of a parent in the first place.

This is why pro­life advocates believe in implementing parental consent laws,which require abortionists to either notify or obtain consent of a parent or guardian before a minor girl has an abortion. Unfortunately, however, most abortion activists oppose parental involvement laws even though 71% of American’s support it.

This is most likely because they are more concerned with the money they make from selling abortion than the health and wellbeing of the teenager involved. Thankfully, according to a recent report from National Right to Life, 30 states in the U.S. have parental consent laws that require abortionists to. Studies also show that parental consent laws make positive impacts on teenagers because they reduce the rates of abortion, birth, and pregnancy.