TAPE - 503

Planned Parenthood. How can I help you?

CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there?

CLINIC: Yes, we do.

CALLER: Oh. Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: Actually, it's on a sliding scale depending on your income.

CALLER: Oh. Well, I don't have a job or anything.

CLINIC: Okay. And you have any children or anything?

CALLER: No. It's just, the thing is, like I'm going to be 14 in March, and I'm worried about all this because my friend told me that you guys would have to --

CLINIC: 14 weeks?

CALLER: 14 years old.

CLINIC: Okay. Actually -- okay. There's two types of abortions. There's one that's surgical which is confidential from your parents, MEAs; and the one that's not confidential -- you have to be 18 and over -- is the nonsurgical.

CALLER: Well, my boyfriend's 22. Could he just sign whatever it is and they wouldn't have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: No. It has to be a parent consent if you wanted to go that way.

CALLER: Oh. But I can't tell my parents at all. It's just, I'm scared 'cause I haven't had my period since like December 21st, and I don't know what to do.

CLINIC: That's if you don't want your parents to know. If you don't want them to know, then your only option pretty much is to go to the surgical.

CALLER: Yeah?

CLINIC: Abortion?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: In which you don't need anybody's consent but your own.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: That one is actually $420. Where -- since you don't have any income.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: But you, actually, you can apply for Medical. Medical does cover that.

CALLER: Would they have to tell my parents?

CLINIC: I'm sorry?

CALLER: Would the Medical people have to tell my parents?

CLINIC: No. No.

CALLER: Oh. Well, my boyfriend said that he would pay for everything. So would you have to tell them?

CLINIC: Uhh, if he pays for everything then, no.

CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, do you know like -- um -- so like if I took the surgical one you wouldn't have to tell anybody that I was there for anything?

CLINIC: Yeah. You would, you would need consent for that one, the nonsurgical one. You do need consent for that.

CALLER: But the surgical one.

CLINIC: You don't.

CALLER: Okay. Okay, well, could I, could I come in there for a pregnancy test though?

CLINIC: Sure. That's always on a walk-in basis. You can come in for the pregnancy test, and if it does come up positive then you can go on for there making your appointment.

CALLER: Okay. Well, is it all right -- like the only way I'd be able to get there is if my boyfriend brought me. Would it be all right if he was there with me?

CLINIC: To do the pregnancy test?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Yeah. That's fine.

CALLER: Okay. Well, it's just we've been talking about this a lot, and we decided that we didn't want anyone to know about it, so would you have to ask him a lot of questions if he was there?

CLINIC: I'm sorry?

CALLER: Well, would you have to ask him a lot of questions if he was there?

CLINIC: Oh, no. No. This is -- I mean, it's really up to you if you want him to be in there or not. It's your choice, and if you want him to be there then he will be in there.

CALLER: Okay. Well, after the pregnancy test if it said that I wasn't pregnant, could I get birth control?

CLINIC: Yeah.

CALLER: It's just I don't want to go through all this again.

CLINIC: Yeah. Hold on just a second, okay? (music plays) Okay. Sorry about that.

CALLER: I'm here.

CLINIC: Yeah, so you can just do that and then if it does come up positive then, yeah, you can make your appointment and if it's negative then you would be, probably won't be able to dispense you any type of birth control that day --

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: -- or, and -- but you can make an appointment to come in or actually if it's negative you can come in tomorrow. We have a walk-in clinic, and then they will dispense you birth control there.

CALLER: Okay. But you wouldn't have to tell anybody if I was on birth control either?

CLINIC: Oh, no, no. This is -- it's wholly, wholly confidential.

CALLER: Okay. Well, I would have to talk to my boyfriend to see if he can bring me tomorrow, but if I thought of anything else could I call and talk to you? What was your name?

CLINIC: Oh, I'm Tia (sp).

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right. Thanks.

CLINIC: Okay. You're welcome.

CALLER: Bye.

CLINIC: Bye.

(hang-up sound)
END OF D503