Your Health, Your Rights

[Download the "Your Health, Your Rights" section as a PDF]

If you're a teen in California, you have rights. And that's what this section is about - your right to privacy and reproductive health care. It has lots of information about different things that may come up in your life.

But first, the most important things you need to know are:

If you are under 18 you have the right to:

• Birth control, including emergency contraception
• Testing and treatment for STIs/STDs
• Pregnancy testing and prenatal care
• Abortion services
• HIV/AIDS testing

You do not need anyone's permission, including your parents or guardians, or your boyfriend or girlfriend.

It's your right to get these health services confidentially - the clinic or doctor cannot tell anyone why you were there - unless you say it's okay.

• Whose permission do I need to get birth control?
• What is emergency contraception and where can I get it?
• If I get a pregnancy test, will they tell my parents?
• If I'm pregnant, what can I do?
• Can anyone make me have an abortion?
• Do I have to change schools?
• Can I get an abortion if that's what I want?
• Do I need my parent's permission for an abortion?
• I had sex without a condom and now I'm worried about diseases can I get tested?
• I want to go to the clinic, but how can I pay?
• Where can I get more information about sexual health?
• Where can I go for sexual health services?
• Where can I find out about adoption?

"Your Health, Your Rights" on Teensource is funded by the American Civil Liberties Union.