Pennsylvania
Nearby States: Maryland, New Jersey, New York
Available
Abortion available until 24 weeks of pregnancy
Mandatory 24 hour waiting period before abortion
Telehealth available
Under 18, must have parental consent or judicial bypass
Abortion available until 24 weeks
- Except in emergencies, anyone having an abortion in Pennsylvania must:
- receive counseling information from their abortion provider; and then
- wait 24 hours before their appointment to have an abortion.
- Abortions after 24 weeks are available only if necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. 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 Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania. 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 18 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 decide on your own whether to have an abortion.
- The court must schedule your hearing and a judge must make a decision within 3 days (not including weekends or holidays) of you asking for a judicial bypass. You can learn more about the judicial bypass process under Judicial Bypass on our Young People & Abortion page.
- You have the right to a free lawyer in a judicial bypass hearing.
- If you are in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Defenders Association’s Child Advocacy Unit provides free lawyers to represent young people in judicial bypass hearings. You can call or text 267-293-9644 or email [email protected].
- In all other parts of Pennsylvania, you can contact Women’s Law Project. They represent young people in Allegheny County, and can connect you to a free lawyer in other parts of the state. Call 412-281-2892 and ask for help with a judicial bypass. A lawyer will usually get back to you within 24 hours.
- If you still have questions about the judicial bypass process in Pennsylvania, 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 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: