Dear Prue317,

Abortion is never an easy decision. Your friend has the legal and moral right to choose for herself what she believes is best for her. Although it may be hard for parents, friends, and partners to understand a woman's choice to terminate a pregnancy, it is important that your friend has someone she can talk to and depend on during this difficult time.

There are many reasons women choose to have abortions. Whatever her reasons are, it is important for friends to respect each other's decisions and beliefs especially when they are different from our own.

Respect for each other's privacy is also important. It is up to your friend who she wants to tell about her decision to have an abortion — it is not anyone else's decision. In some states, parental permission is required for a minor to obtain an abortion, but even in these states women can apply for "judicial by-pass," in which a judge may allow them to proceed with the abortion without that permission.

Whether you choose to continue the friendship is up to you. If you choose to remain friends, it may be helpful for you to find out some more about abortion so you can better support your friend, whether or not you agree with her decision.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.