AKRON WOMEN’S MEDICAL GROUP
839 E MARKET ST
AKRON, OH 44305
330-535-9191
TAPE – 775
(Dialing, phone ringing 1x)
CLINIC: Akron Women’s Medical Group. This is Judy. Can I help you?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: Yes, we do.
CALLER: Do you know how much it cost?
CLINIC: I sure do, honey. How far into the pregnancy are you?
CALLER: I don’t know. How do you know?
CLINIC: Can you tell me the first day of your last normal period?
CALLER: January 3rd.
CLINIC: If January 3rd is correct, about right now you’re about almost nine weeks. The cost up to 12 weeks is between 300 and $400. And the cost difference, it just matters what type of anesthesia you use and when you come in.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: The thing is I’m going to be 14 later on this month, and my friend said that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: No, honey. No. You have to have a parent permission. You’re 14 and he’s 22?
CALLER: Well, I’m going to be 14 on the 23rd.
CLINIC: You’re not 14 yet?
CALLER: Right.
CLINIC: Okay. You’re 13 and he’s 22 (laughing)?
CALLER: Yeah.
CLINIC: This is the same thing you would hear from your parents.
CALLER: Well, they know we’re going out. I mean, he works with my dad. They don’t know that we’re having sex. If they found out about that, I don’t know what they would do.
CLINIC: Let me ask you a couple questions, okay?
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: What would happen if you told your mom?
CALLER: I don’t know. She would — I don’t know. They would just be furious.
CLINIC: Okay. What county do you live in?
CALLER: I live in Kent. I’m not really sure which county it is.
CLINIC: Okay. If you live in Kent, Ohio, you live in Portage County. I’m going to tell you what you can do to get around telling your parents. But I think in the long run it’s always better if you can tell your parents. Even though you know they’re going to get angry, honey, you’re 13 years old. You should have your parents’ help in this, all right? Because there’s a lot of things that can happen.
Are you on any birth control?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: How long have you been sexually active?
CALLER: Well, about six months.
CLINIC: At 13 if you’re going to be having sex with a 22-year-old, which is really a problem right there —
CALLER: What do you mean?
CLINIC: First of all, he shouldn’t be having sex with a 13-year-old, okay? Because there’s a lot of responsibilities that go along with that. First of all, birth control is very important, not just because you can get pregnant, because there’s a lot of other things can happen to you. And your parents can help you with that. I’m not trying to sound like an old drudge here. It’s just that you need to take care of yourself. And someone that’s much older than you like that doesn’t have your best interest at heart.
CALLER: I mean, he loves me. We’re going to get married. And he said he would take care of me forever.
CLINIC: Okay. But he shouldn’t be getting you pregnant at 13, even if you’re almost 14, because it’s hard on you to have a baby as young as you are, okay?
Now, what you can do to get around this — and I can’t help but to try to help you out here because that’s what I do — you can go to the — and I would probably not go to Portage County. I would come to Summit County. I’m sure he drives. It wouldn’t be a problem for you. Come to Summit County because the judge here in Summit County is very easy. She is not difficult to get.
What you need to do is go to the juvenile court here in Summit County, and you need to speak to a Judge Judith Hunter. And she will give you permission in this instance to act in your own behalf. And what it’s called is a judicial bypass. I will be happy to give you the number, honey. The number is 330-643-2900. You call them up and make an appointment to get a judicial bypass. And what you have to take with you, among other things, is proof of pregnancy. I’m sure you’d have to have your birth certificate with you too.
CALLER: Well, I haven’t had a pregnancy test yet.
CLINIC: Okay. The best thing you can do then, sweetie — do you know where we’re located?
CALLER: Well, my boyfriend does.
CLINIC: Have him bring you here, and we’ll run a pregnancy test, and I can give you a letter stating proof of pregnancy.
CALLER: What time should I come?
CLINIC: Anytime today. My name’s Judy, and I’ll be at the front desk when you come in.
CALLER: What are your hours today?
CLINIC: We’ll open until 6. But do come in way before that, okay?
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Can you tell me about what time you’ll come in?
CALLER: Well, I have to call him and see when he can come and get me.
CLINIC: All right, honey. What’s your first name?
CALLER: It’s Lisa.
CLINIC: Lisa? Okay. I’m right here. My first name is Judy.
CALLER: Would there be any way, like if I wasn’t pregnant, to get birth control from you guys?
CLINIC: No, honey. You’d have to go to Planned Parenthood.
CALLER: But would they have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: No, uh-uh. I think they keep it totally confidential. So first thing we have to do, Lisa, before we jump off the bridge is find out if you’re pregnant.
CALLER: Well, would you have to tell anybody about me and my boyfriend if I came in for a pregnancy test though?
CLINIC: Oh, no, no, no. This is strictly between me and you.
CALLER: Oh, okay. So you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about anything?
CLINIC: No, no, honey. This is totally confidential. This is between you, me and him. So if you can get in some time today, even tomorrow, we’ll run a pregnancy test. If you happen to be positive, then I can give you a letter so you can take it to court, and get you started on this whole thing. All right, sweetie? I’ll be glad to help you out.
CALLER: Well, how much does it cost to go to court?
CLINIC: All of these things are free. I don’t think there’s any cost to that.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: But that’s a question when you call to make your appointment you might want to ask them because truly I’ve never called them and asked them that one. All right?
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Okay, Lisa. So I’ll either see you later today or tomorrow.
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: All right, honey.
CALLER: Thank you.
CLINIC: You’re welcome. Bye bye.
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