TX Teens No Longer Able Access Birth Control Without Parent Permission

Teenagers in one Texas county are no longer able to access birth control sans parental permission, according to a new court ruling.

The federal ruling affects McLennan County, where teens will have to seek parental permission to get birth control from certain federally funded family planning clinics. 156 Waco-area federally funded clinics will now require parent consent, including Planned Parenthood.

The ruling is in response to Title X, a federal program created in 1970 that provides free and confidential contraception to anyone, regardless of several factors, like income, age, or immigration status. According to the court ruling, made by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, Title X is in violation of both parents’ rights and state and federal law.

Kacsmaryk, who formerly forged a career as a religious liberty lawyer, was appointed to the bench by former president Donald Trump in 2019. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is appealing the decision.

According to the Waco-Tribune Herald, Planned Parenthood expects the ruling to directly affect less than 1% of Waco-area patients. Those teens seeking birth control methods, whether The Pill, IUD, shot, or other forms of contraception will be affected.

In 2022, Texas had the third-highest Google search interest in contraception, with the most common contraceptive search being the emergency contraceptive pill, often called Plan B.

However, clinics not federally funded will not be affected by the court ruling and will still be able to operate normally, providing birth control and other services to minors.

At 21.7 births per 1,o0o women, McLennon County birth rates surpass the national average rate of 14.4.