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Transcript:
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MID & EAST TENNESSEE
412 DR. D.B. TODD JR. BLVD.
NASHVILLE, TN 37203
615-321-7216
TAPE – 814
(Dialing, phone ringing 1x)
RECORDING: Thanks for calling the National Clinic of Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee. In order for us to serve you better, please listen carefully to the following options.
If you know your party’s extension, you may dial it now. For information about pregnancy testing or our abortion program, press 1. For medical services, including annual exams, emergency contraception, STI exams, and picking up refills, press 2. For directions, hours of operation and contact information, press 3. If you’re already familiar with our services, and you wish to schedule an appointment or speak to someone during our regular business hours, press 700. Also remember to check out Web site at —
(Dial button pressed 3x)
RECORDING: One moment, please.
RECORDING: Your time is valuable to us. We appreciate your patience and holding. Thank you.
RECORDING: We appreciate your call. Please continue to hold, and the next available representative will be with you shortly.
(Message repeated 3x)
CLINIC: Planned Parenthood?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.
CLINIC: Yes.
CALLER: Do you know how much it cost for that?
CLINIC: It depends on a couple factors. What do you want the pill or the surgical?
CALLER: Well, I’m not really sure. I just haven’t had my period since January 15th, and I’m just really scared.
CLINIC: Excuse me?
CALLER: I haven’t had my period since January 15th, and I’m just really scared. So I don’t know.
CLINIC: Have you took a pregnancy test?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Don’t you think you need to?
CALLER: Well, yeah. I was wanting to know if you guys did that too.
CLINIC: Yeah. We do pregnancy tests. How old are you?
CALLER: I’m going to be 14 later on in March. My friend told me that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he just sign whatever, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?
CLINIC: No. First of all, you can come in here by yourself for a pregnancy test or birth control without your parents’ consent. Your parents don’t need to know about — but as far as an abortion, we do have to have — you either have to have a judicial bypass from the court, or a marriage certificate, or emancipation paperwork, saying that you’re emancipated.
CALLER: Okay. Well, how do you get that?
CLINIC: You’ve got to go to court.
CALLER: How much does it cost for that?
CLINIC: You can get a judicial bypass. I have no idea. That’s something you might need to call the court about.
CALLER: Well, what about the judicial bypass?
CLINIC: You have to go to court for that too.
CALLER: Do you know how much that cost?
CLINIC: No. I’m going to ask somebody else if they know. Because I’m not really — dealt with that. You said you’re 14?
CALLER: I’ll be 14 on the 19th.
CLINIC: Oh, you’ll be 14. I’m just waiting for the other lady to get back.
Can you hold a moment?
CALLER: Yeah, I guess.
CLINIC: Okay.
(Short pause)
CLINIC: What I can tell you to do is just go ahead and come in for a pregnancy test, which will be (unclear), okay?
CALLER: Okay.
CLINIC: Do you know where we’re located?
CALLER: Well, my boyfriend does. He would be the only way I could get there. Would that be all right if he was there with me?
CLINIC: Yeah, that’s fine. So go ahead and do a pregnancy test, and then we’ll go from there and give you the information you need to go ahead and try to get that judicial bypass order.
CALLER: Okay. Me and my boyfriend were talking about all this, and we don’t want anyone to know about us. Would you have to tell anybody about him?
CLINIC: About him what?
CALLER: Well, if he was paying cash for everything, would he have to sign any papers or fill out any forms? Like would his name be on anything?
CLINIC: No. If you’re getting the cash, you just pay cash. But I mean, that’s something we have to discuss, as far as — you can let your boyfriend drop you off or whatever.
CALLER: Would that be better?
CLINIC: I think. But I mean, that’s up to you. We don’t have the right to say anything. But you just need to come in for your pregnancy test. And then we can give you the information you need to go ahead and try to get that judicial bypass or that emancipation, to get emancipated. So you can go ahead and do that or whatever.
CALLER: Okay. Well, if it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control from you guys?
CLINIC: Yeah.
CALLER: And you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about that?
CLINIC: No, uh-uh.
CALLER: I can’t drive or anything. Would my boyfriend be able to pick up the pills?
CLINIC: You would get them here.
CALLER: Okay. So he wouldn’t be able to pick up like the other ones after the first ones?
CLINIC: What do you mean? You come here every three months to get some more.
CALLER: So I have to be there.
CLINIC: Yeah. You have to be here to be checked. Have you ever had a pap smear?
CALLER: No.
CLINIC: Yeah. You have to have an exam.
CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, how much does it cost for that?
CLINIC: It’s not going to cost you anything because you’re under age. But once you turn 20, then that’s when they start charging, if you’re on (unclear).
CALLER: And you sure nobody has to know about me or my boyfriend or anything?
CLINIC: As far as you, I mean, that’s — you’re asking me questions that I’ve never had to deal with. So basically, all I know is you’re young enough where you can get your birth control for free.
CALLER: But would you have to say anything about my boyfriend?
CLINIC: Could you hold a minute?
CALLER: Okay.
(Short pause)
CLINIC: Thank you for holding. How may I help you?
CALLER: Hi. Yeah. Was I talking to you?
CLINIC: No. You were talking to someone. They transferred you to me. And what kind of questions did you have, hon?
CALLER: I was asking questions about getting an abortion. But me and my boyfriend were talking about all this, and we don’t want anyone to know about us. If I was getting an abortion or a pregnancy test or anything, would you guys have to say anything about him or me or anything to anybody?
CLINIC: Not in regard to your pregnancy test. How old are you?
CALLER: I’m going to be 14 on the 19th.
CLINIC: Okay. And how old is your boyfriend?
CALLER: He’s 22.
CLINIC: Okay. Now, you’re not going to be able to get an abortion without your parents’ consent.
CALLER: Oh, really?
CLINIC: That’s Tennessee law.
CALLER: Well, that other lady said that I could get a judicial bypass.
CLINIC: Not at your age you can’t.
CALLER: Oh, really?
CLINIC: No, ma’am. So what you need to do, is first of all you need to come in here and do a pregnancy test. Now what happens here, we don’t tell anybody about that. But in regards to having an abortion, you will have to have one of your parents sign for you. No judge is going to give you a judicial bypass at your age.
CALLER: Oh. If it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant, would it be okay to get birth control?
CLINIC: Yeah.
CALLER: And you wouldn’t have to tell anybody about that?
CLINIC: No, uh-uh. No, not about that, no. So you need to come in here and we’ll do a pregnancy test on you, and then we’ll go from there.
CALLER: Okay. I’m just really confused. I don’t know what to do.
CLINIC: Well, if it turns out that you are pregnant, you’re going to have to confide in one of your parents.
CALLER: But I can’t tell them anything.
CLINIC: Well, you don’t have a choice. You’re not going to be able to get anything done without your parent. You don’t have a choice.
CALLER: Okay. Well, I need to think about all this. If I had any other questions, could I call and talk to you? What was your name?
CLINIC: My name is Denita (sp).
CALLER: All right.
CLINIC: Okay?
CALLER: Okay, thanks.
CLINIC: All right.
***END***