Texas is one of 24 states that require parental consent for minors to access contraception. At federally funded Title X clinics, at the time of the study, confidential services were available. This study investigates why and how minors in Texas seek confidential contraception.

Between September 2020 and June 2021, we conducted in-depth phone interviews with 28 young people, ages 15-17. They were recruited through the text line and Instagram of an organization that helps minors understand and navigate Texas’ parental consent laws.

The study revealed that minors are highly resourceful when it comes to finding contraception. They take steps such as starting conversations about sex and contraception with their parents, researching contraceptive methods on their own, and overcoming logistical hurdles to access care. Without the support of an adult, many turn to online and social media resources to learn about different contraceptive options. However, they often face difficulties in finding accurate information about where to access contraception without involving a parent in Texas.

Our findings demonstrate that parental consent laws for contraception create barriers to necessary healthcare for minors—a group of people who lack agency but deserve reproductive autonomy—and that these barriers were exacerbated by COVID-19.

This study also highlights several ways that reproductive autonomy can be improved for minors, such as teaching parents how to talk to teens about sex and contraception, providing comprehensive sexual health education via school and social media, increasing awareness of and access to Title X clinics, providing telehealth and contraceptive delivery services through Title X clinics, ensuring clinicians initiate private conversations with minors about contraception, and making clinics more teen-friendly.