Media Center: Press Release

Teens are more likely to see a doctor if they trust that conversations about sex and birth control will remain private

New York, NY—Teens are more likely to seek out healthcare services—especially for sensitive matters like contraception and HIV testing—if they are assured that their treatment will remain between them and their doctor. However, laws about which treatments teens can request without a parent’s permission vary from state to state, and many doctors are unsure whether services like HIV tests or birth control prescriptions must remain private. A new guide produced by Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH) will help doctors in New Mexico better understand the state’s laws about privacy and healthcare, so that teens feel comfortable confiding in their doctor.

Sized to fit in a lab coat pocket, Minors’ Access to Confidential Reproductive Healthcare in New Mexico offers a brief overview of the state’s laws on confidential healthcare for minors. In addition to information about providing services such as contraception, pregnancy testing and emergency care, the guide offers tips for doctors to communicate with teens and their parents about how their personal information is protected in the doctor’s office. For those who prefer an electronic version, the card is available online.

 “This is a great resource for any doctor or healthcare provider who works with teens,” said Dr. Bruce Trigg, a PRCH member and medical director of the STD Program in Regions 1 and 3 at the New Mexico Department of Health, who helped develop the new guide. “When we can assure teens that their conversations about birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy are going to be kept private, they are more likely to visit a doctor and ask for the help they need. This card will assist doctors in New Mexico who have questions about which procedures teens can agree to on their own, and how to safeguard patient confidentiality.”

Minors’ Access to Confidential Reproductive Healthcare in New Mexico was developed by PRCH in collaboration with the Center for Adolescent Health and the Law, the New Mexico Pediatric Society, Pegasus Legal Services for Children, Planned Parenthood of New Mexico, Southwest Women’s Law Center, University of New Mexico Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and University of New Mexico Department of Family and Community Medicine.

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