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Teen Sexual and Reproductive Health

Go to: Services for Teens | How to Get Care | Confidentiality and Privacy | Abortion | Birth Control Without a Prescription | Care for Trauma

Young people under the age of 18 can access confidential sexual and reproductive health care. You can get most of these services without the consent or permission of a parent, guardian, or partner.

Learn more about sexual and reproductive health care for teens in NYC. Visit the NYC Health Map to find teen-friendly care near you.

Services for Teens

You can get the following services and information without the consent or permission of a parent, guardian, or partner:

  • Information about sexual health, pregnancy, pregnancy prevention, and pregnancy options, including abortion
  • Birth control and birth control prescriptions, including emergency contraception (also called the “morning after pill”)
  • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV
    • STIs are on the rise – if you are having sex, get tested at least once a year, and every time you have a new partner.
  • PEP and PrEP, medications that prevent HIV transmission, which are available by prescription
    • Use PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) before you are exposed to HIV.
    • Use PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) after you might have been exposed to HIV.
  • HPV and mpox vaccines:
    • The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine protects against HPV and can prevent certain cancers when given early.
    • The mpox vaccine is a two-dose vaccine that protects against mpox.
  • If you are LGBTQ+ or questioning your gender or sexual identity, you can talk to your health care provider.
    • You can ask questions about gender-affirming care without parental or guardian consent. However, you will need a parent’s or guardian’s consent or permission to get gender-affirming care services.

How to Get Care

Search for providers on the NYC Health Map. Select the service you are looking for and check “Teen-friendly” under “Other.”

  • Cost: You can contact any health care provider to ask if they offer free or low-cost sexual and reproductive health care services for teens. If the clinic says they do not have free or low-cost options, ask about other ways to get financial support.
  • Walk-ins: Many community-based clinics and school-based health centers accept walk-in patients. Call and ask if they accept walk-ins if you need to be seen today.

NYC Sexual Health Clinics offer birth control, HIV and STI testing and treatment, and medication abortion at no cost. Walk-in care is available.

Confidentiality and Privacy

All people – including those younger than age 18 – are entitled by law to confidential health care. This means providers cannot share any information about your health care or what you discussed with anyone without your permission. When you make an appointment with any health care provider, you can ask how they keep your information confidential.

If a health care provider believes you are being harmed or in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, they may share information with another adult without your permission to keep you safe. This is the only reason that confidentiality may be broken.

Abortion

You can get an abortion without the consent or permission of a parent, guardian, or partner. All information related to an abortion will be kept confidential.

Reach out to the NYC Abortion Access Hub at 877-NYC-AHUB (877-692-2482) or through live chat for same-day access to abortion providers in NYC. You can also get resources like funding, insurance enrollment, and transportation and housing if you need to travel for your abortion.

Birth Control Without a Prescription

You can buy condoms, emergency contraception, spermicides, or contraceptive sponges at a pharmacy.

Many clinics provide free internal and external condoms. You can ask the clinics for condoms. Condoms help to prevent both pregnancy and STIs.

Some pharmacies can provide birth control pills, the contraceptive patch, or the contraceptive ring without a prescription. Ask a pharmacist about this.

Care for Trauma

People under the age of 18 can get health care following trauma, including sexual violence and intimate partner violence, without the consent or permission of a parent, guardian, or partner.

If you are sexually assaulted, go to the hospital for treatment. The hospital must offer you emergency contraception. You have the right to choose whether or not to take the emergency contraception.

Additional Resources

More Information