PLANNED PARENTHOOD
4203 AVENUE H # 7
ROSENBERG, TX 77471-2843
281-342-8408

TAPE – 445

(dialing sounds) (ringing 1X)

CLINIC: Thanks for calling Planned Parenthood. This is Valerie. Can I help you?

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

CLINIC: Not at this location. The only location with Planned Parenthood would be downtown on Sunnan (sp) Street.

CALLER: Okay. Do you have that number?

CLINIC: Yes. 713-535-2400. Now when you’re going to dial this number you’re going to have options, okay? One of which will be abortion, okay? But be patient because it may take a little while before you get someone on the phone.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Okay? Don’t hang up on them. They will get on the phone, and they will give you financial and medical information.

CALLER: Okay. Well, do you know — like I’m just worried because I’m going to be 14 in March, and my friend told me that they would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22 —

CLINIC: (unclear)

CALLER: — could he just sign whatever it is?

CLINIC: No. Let me explain to you. If you are 17 and under, okay, the Texas law requests now — it’s been going on for over a year — that one of your parents is informed. It doesn’t mean that they have to agree with it, but they, one of them will have to sign a document stating that they have been informed of your pregnancy and your wish to terminate.

CALLER: Oh. Well, I can’t tell my parents at all. I mean, I don’t know what they would do.

CLINIC: Okay. Now when you’re going to go to downtown for the first counseling, they’re going to give you options. If there’s no way that you can tell your parents, you can go in front of a judge.

CALLER: Really?

CLINIC: Yes. And the judge would tell you, would basically discuss it with you and tell you whether he believes that you’re mature enough to make your own decision.

CALLER: Oh. Well, does he ever say no?

CLINIC: Well, he — yes, it has happened. That’s one thing that you need to discuss with them downtown. That’s all they do, so they will be able to help you out with doing that if you want to.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Okay? So give them a call. Be patient on the phone. You will get someone on line to give you all the information, give you an appointment as soon as possible.

CALLER: Well, could I come in there for like a pregnancy test though?

CLINIC: With us?

CALLER: Uh-huh.

CLINIC: Yeah, if you want, but —

CALLER: I’m just really worried because I haven’t’ had my period since like December 21st, so I’m scared.

CLINIC: Oh, okay. Do you have any symptoms of pregnancy?

CALLER: Huh?

CLINIC: Do you have any other symptoms like full breasts, fatigue, dizziness?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: No? Okay. Well, if you want come on in for a pregnancy test, and then if it’s positive we’ll give you the information to go downtown.

CALLER: Okay. Well, if it came out that it wasn’t positive —

CLINIC: Then you can see the nurse and she will start you on birth control to regulate, to, for you to have your period.

CALLER: Would you have to tell anybody that I was on birth control?

CLINIC: Absolutely — no, not for that.

CALLER: Really?

CLINIC: No, it’s completely anonymous.

CALLER: Well, my boyfriend said that he would pay for everything. Would he have to sign anything though?

CLINIC: No. No. We need your information, but we won’t contact you. We won’t write you. Everything is confidential, and for you it will be no more than $20.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Well, could I give you like my boyfriend’s cell number though?

CLINIC: Yes, we can, but — one thing that we will need is your address. We will not write to you, but we have to have that information.

CALLER: Oh. Well, could I give you like my boyfriend’s address though?

CLINIC: Yes, you can, if we have to contact you, but we still going to need your information. We’re not going to use them, but that’s the law, we have to have them.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: But we will not write to you, and if we had to contact you we have no problem contacting your boyfriend. We do that all the time with teenagers.

CALLER: Okay. Well, me and my boyfriend were talking about all this, and we decided that we didn’t want anyone to know about us. Would you guys have to say anything? Like do you have to know about him or anything?

CLINIC: No. The only thing is if your tests come back, your pregnancy test comes back negative and you want to start on birth control then we’re going to do a Pap smear and breast exam and we’re going to check for STDs. And usually when the results come back, if the results are negative we don’t contact you. That means that it’s good news. But if the results are, if there’s one result that is positive and you need medication, then we would need a phone number so we could call your boyfriend, and he would tell you to come in to pick up medication. That’s the way we usually do it.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: And if you want to do that — you want to schedule an appointment for that?

CALLER: Yeah, I guess.

CLINIC: What is your date of birth?

CALLER: It’s March 19, 1988.

CLINIC: Your last name?

CALLER: Smith.

CLINIC: Your first name?

CALLER: Christine.

CLINIC: And phone number where I can get hold of you or your boyfriend’s number if you want or a cell phone.

CALLER: Well, I need to get that number. He just got it, and I don’t know the number yet, so.

CLINIC: Okay, that’s fine. Okay. Okay. Let me check. So it’s going to be no more than $20. Do you want to come in today?

CALLER: What time today?

CLINIC: Because we only do the pregnancy test — if it’s positive we’re not going to do anything else. Let me check. Hold on one second. Bear with me.

CALLER: But you wouldn’t tell anybody if it was a positive test, right?

CLINIC: No. No. It’s completely confidential.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay? No one — we won’t tell anyone. Even if your boyfriend calls and said, you know, is my girlfriend done, all ready to go? I won’t, we won’t be able to say anything. Okay?

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Now, could you come in at 3:00?

CALLER: I’d have to call to see, but I think so.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, I’ll schedule you for 3:00 and give us a call back if you can’t make it. Otherwise we’ll see you at 3:00.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay, Christine?

CALLER: Thanks.

CLINIC: Bye.

CALLER: Bye.

(phone clicks)

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