A 2003 New Hampshire law is stirring up quite a fuss.

The law would make it illegal for an abortion to be performed on a minor unless a parent or legal guardian had been notified in writing 48 hours in advance.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court will take on two high-profile abortion cases, one of which deals with the New Hampshire law.

Three members of this editorial board believe it is acceptable and necessary for states to require minors to notify their parents if they intend to have abortions. It is our belief that those individuals ages 18 and under have no business terminating pregnancies without discussing their options with medical professionals and legal guardians. Thirty-five states in this country agree and have enacted or are in the process of enacting laws requiring parental consent or notification for minors’ abortions, according to plannedparenthood.org.

In many cases, requiring notification for minors to have abortions would ensure the involvement of adults in the minors’ important decision. No 14-year-old girl should have to decide alone whether to keep a baby. Truthfully, being required to notify her family may make it easier to discuss her unplanned pregnancy.

Additionally, notification is an excellent method of preventing older men from concealing statutory rape by coercing minors into having abortions without parental consent. It is irrefutably positive when men who take advantage of minors can be caught and prosecuted.

Contextually, it is ridiculous to require American citizens to be 18 to vote, to buy cigarettes and to fight for our country, and then determine that citizens do not need to be 18 in order to decide for themselves to have an abortion. Abortions can cause serious physical and psychological problems to those who undergo them. Minors have no business signing up for such serious operations without parental guidance.

The above editorial is the opinion of three members of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.