Parental Consent Laws Discouraged 16 & Pregnant Teen From Getting An Abortion

On last night’s episode, 17-year-old Cleondra was the second of her siblings to become pregnant as a teenager. In a rare moment for this show, Cleondra has a discussion with her mother about how she initially seriously considered abortion as an option, but was discouraged by Mississippi laws requiring either parental consent or a judicial bypass, that require her to go in front of the judge. As she puts it in this clip, that was “too crucial,” whatever that means. Her mother—who is already supporting one grandchild—said she was “all for” Cleondra having the abortion, so Cleondra’s explanation doesn’t really make much sense. In the After Show on MTV.com, she gives a different, strictly pro-life, explanation about her decision.