Listen to the Call:
Transcript:
ALL WOMEN’S HEALTH SERVICES
1020 N. EAST 2ND AVE
EUGENE, OR 97401
541-342-5940
TAPE – 675
(Dialing, phone ringing 1x)
CLINIC: All Women’s Health Services.
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: We do.
CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, how much does that cost?
CLINIC: Do you have any kind of insurance or do you qualify for the Oregon Health Plan?
CALLER: Well, I don’t know. But my boyfriend said that he would pay for everything.
CLINIC: Okay. Well, then the cost is going to be starting at $350, and then depending on your lab work and some medication, it could be up to 435.
CALLER: Okay. My problem is I’m going to be 14 later on this month, and my friend said 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. You’re the one having the abortion, so it applies to you. You have to be 15. So if you’re going to just be 14 then you need to have a parent signing off on all of the forms with you.
CALLER: But I can’t tell my parents at all. I mean, if they found out me and my boyfriend were having sex I don’t know what they would do. They can’t find out at all.
CLINIC: Well, we’re not going to provide an illegal abortion for you. That would get us in a lot of trouble.
CALLER: Well, is there any way not to have to tell my parents and you wouldn’t get in trouble?
CLINIC: It’s illegal to provide an abortion for someone under the age of 15 without parental consent.
CALLER: Well, is there anyplace I could go?
CLINIC: It’s a state law or it might be a federal law; I’m not sure. But that’s the law. So I mean, you really have —
CALLER: Well, what can I do?
CLINIC: You have to tell your parents or —
CALLER: But I can’t tell my parents.
CLINIC: Well, there’s nothing that I can do to change the law. We’re not going to provide the abortion for you unless your parents sign off on everything.
CALLER: Would you have to tell them about my boyfriend though?
CLINIC: Well, they’re going to know that you got pregnant from someone. That’s up to you. I don’t know. We just need them to sign off consenting to the procedure.
CALLER: Oh. Okay.
CLINIC: Yeah. It’s a law. There’s nothing that we can really do about it.
CALLER: Well, could I get a pregnancy test without my parents having to know about that?
CLINIC: Yeah. You can get a pregnancy test. They’re the same that you buy in the store even.
CALLER: Oh, really?
CLINIC: Yeah.
CALLER: Well, if it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control from you guys?
CLINIC: I think that you still have to be 15 to do that.
CALLER: Oh.
CLINIC: Yeah.
CALLER: So what should I do then?
CLINIC: Well, I mean, you might just want to talk to your parents about what’s going on in your life.
CALLER: But they don’t ever listen to me. I mean, they don’t ever understand anything.
CLINIC: Maybe it’s just time that they know what’s going on with you. And maybe it will be hard for them at first, but a lot of times after just talking things through, people can be more understanding. I mean, do you know that you’re definitely pregnant? Have you taken a pregnancy test?
CALLER: Well, no. I just haven’t had my period since January 3rd, and I’m just really scared.
CLINIC: Right. Well, do you normally miss periods?
CALLER: Well, no.
CLINIC: Okay. Have you been feeling pregnant at all?
CALLER: I don’t know.
CLINIC: Do you feel nauseous or do you have any breast tenderness or anything like that?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Okay. Well, those would be signs of pregnancy, but not everybody feels like that when they’re pregnant. Some people don’t have any signs. So I guess the best thing for you to do would be to take a pregnancy test.
CALLER: Oh, okay.
CLINIC: If it’s positive and an abortion is what you want, then you definitely have to tell your parents, and they need to be with you.
CALLER: Well, my boyfriend’s 22. Is that not old enough to take care of it?
CLINIC: Your boyfriend is not your parent, and the abortion is for you. So that’s a whole different issue on its own, you being 14 and him being 22. I mean, that’s a totally separate issue. But he is not your parent.
CALLER: Oh. Well, I just have a lot of questions and I’m really confused. Could I call you back if I thought of anything else to ask? What was your name?
CLINIC: My name is Samantha, but anyone can answer your questions if I’m not available.
CALLER: Oh, okay. All right.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Well, thank you.
CLINIC: Sure.
CALLER: Bye.
CLINIC: Bye bye.
***END***