Massachusetts
Nearby States: Connecticut, New York, Vermont
Available
Abortion available until approximately 24 weeks of pregnancy
Telehealth available
Under age 16, must have parent consent or a judicial bypass
Abortion available until approximately 24 weeks
- Although most abortions happen before 24 weeks, you can still contact a provider for more information about your specific circumstances.
- Abortions after viability are available only if necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person, or if there is a lethal fetal anomaly.
- You can learn more about emergency medical treatment under Getting the medical care you need on our Legal Rights and Risk page.
Telehealth
- Medication abortion (an abortion with pills) is available by telehealth in Massachusetts. This means you can meet with a health care provider by video call who will prescribe and mail you abortion pills. For more information, go to abortionfinder.org or ineedana.com.
Self-managed abortion is not a crime in Massachusetts. But what the law says and what happens in reality can be very different. If you have questions about your legal rights and risk, call 844-868-2812 or contact us through our secure form to speak with a lawyer.
To find an abortion provider, go to abortionfinder.org or ineedana.com.
An abortion fund or a practical support organization is an organization that can help pay for all or some of the costs of getting an abortion. Some funds only pay for the procedure. Others only pay for costs like travel, hotel, or childcare. Most require that you have an appointment at a clinic first. To find an abortion fund, go to:
Consent
If you are under 16 years old
- You have the right to get an abortion, but you must have the consent (written permission) of one parent or a legal guardian.
- If you cannot or do not want to involve a parent, or your parent does not support your decision, you can ask a court for a judicial bypass. This is a legal process that lets you ask a judge for permission to make your own decision about your abortion, without involving a parent.
- The court must schedule the hearing as soon as possible after you ask for a judicial bypass, and sometimes it is scheduled that same day. After the hearing, a judge must make a decision within 1 day (not including weekends or holidays). But usually, the judge makes a decision right after the hearing. For more information about the judicial bypass process, see [Youth Access to Abortion FAQs]
- You have the right to a free lawyer in a judicial bypass hearing.
- The Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts runs a free hotline to help people under age 16 with the judicial bypass process. You can call their hotline at (617) 616-1636 or visit their website. They will connect you with an attorney to represent you in the judicial bypass hearing for free. And you do not have to go to a Planned Parenthood clinic for abortion care in order to use the hotline.
- If you still have questions about judicial bypass in Massachusetts, we can help. Call 844-868-2812 or contact us through our secure form to speak with a lawyer.
- You also have the right to travel to a state near you that does not have parental involvement laws.
To find an abortion provider, go to abortionfinder.org or ineedana.com.
An abortion fund or a practical support organization is an organization that can help pay for all or some of the costs of getting an abortion. Some funds only pay for the procedure. Others only pay for costs like travel, hotel, or childcare. Most require that you have an appointment at a clinic first. To find an abortion fund, go to: