PLANNED PARENTHOOD
603 E. 3RD ST
MARSHFILED, WI 54449-4512
715-387-4885

TAPE – 526

(dialing sounds) (ringing 2X)

CLINIC: Thank you for calling Planned Parenthood. This is Amy. Can I help you?

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

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: Oh. Well, do you know of anybody that does?

CLINIC: The closest abortion clinic is in Appleton.

CALLER: Okay. Do you have that number?

CLINIC: Yeah. Hold on one moment.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Have you had a positive pregnancy test?

CALLER: Well, no, not yet.

CLINIC: Not yet?

CALLER: Uh-uh. I’m just really scared because like well I haven’t had my period since like December 21st, and I’m scared.

CLINIC: Have you done a home pregnancy test?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: No?

CALLER: I didn’t know that those were right.

CLINIC: Well, they’re as accurate as the one that I can do here as one the doctor could do — other than a blood test.

CALLER: Oh. It’s just — the thing is, I’m really worried about all this because like, well I’m going to be 14 in March and my friend told me that they would have to tell my parents I’m getting an abortion. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it and they wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: The state of Wisconsin requires written permission from an adult relative, 25 or older.

CALLER: Oh. Well, is there any way not to tell my parents though? I don’t know anyone else besides him that’s older than that.

CLINIC: Well, you could go to a judge and we could help you get that set up.

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

CLINIC: Well, to go to the judge to have a judicial bypass is free because it would go through the county. But for me to do, for me to sign you up and everything I’d have to run the pregnancy test and have a positive pregnancy test here in order to do that.

CALLER: Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: I think it’s probably going to be like $50 or $60. You also need to know that the state of Wisconsin laws, that is such that you have to have at least 24 hours from a counseling visit at the abortion clinic to the actual procedure. And they only do procedures in Appleton during the week.

CALLER: Okay. Well, my boyfriend said that he would pay for everything. It’s just, would he have to — he just doesn’t want to have anybody to tell anybody like he doesn’t want my parents to find out. So —

CLINIC: Well, the reason he doesn’t want your parents to find out is because they’ll probably press charges against him. And even if they don’t —

CALLER: Why? What for?

CLINIC: Well, even at — for statutory rape because he’s —

CALLER: But he’s not raping me. I mean, we’re in love. We’re going to get married.

CLINIC: No. No. I’m not saying he is. But because he’s over the age of 18 and you’re only 14, it’s against the law for him to be having intercourse with you no matter what. And even if they don’t press charges, the state of Wisconsin might.

CALLER: Well, what could happen?

CLINIC: He could go to jail.

CALLER: Well, who would tell on him?

CLINIC: I certainly wouldn’t. But — I’m not saying anybody really would.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: But it is against the law. I mean, if you — he probably doesn’t want you to tell your parents because they could press charges.

CALLER: He said it was — he didn’t want me to get in trouble.

CLINIC: Well, that’s — you know, that could be the other thing. He doesn’t want you in trouble.

CALLER: Well, could we come in there together if, to get a pregnancy test, because he would be the only way I could get there.

CLINIC: Yes. We can schedule a pregnancy test for you.

CALLER: Oh. But would he get in trouble?

CLINIC: I’m not going to turn him in. The nurse practitioner that works here isn’t going to turn him in. She’s probably going to lecture him a little bit.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: He’ll probably hear a little bit of lecturing, but I certainly wouldn’t turn him in. And neither would she.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: But, you know, if you have — do you have like a cousin or aunt or uncle or somebody that would take you to the abortionist over the age of 25?

CALLER: No, I don’t have any relatives up here.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: So. All my family lives in Texas, so.

CLINIC: Okay. Are your parents here?

CALLER: Well, yeah. I mean, I live with my parents, but I can’t tell them at all.

CLINIC: Right. Let me look at the schedule for today and then I can tell you when I can have you come in.

CALLER: Well, if I went to the judge would I Have to tell him about my boyfriend though?

CLINIC: I don’t know. I don’t know about how — I’ve never had to do a judicial bypass before. But the nurse practitioner has had to do that before. She would know more about that than I do.

CALLER: Do you know if they ever say no?

CLINIC: No. As far as I know they’ve never said no.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: I mean, if your age is — if you’re 14, he’s going to probably guarantee pretty much do it because you’re so young. If you told the judge that your boyfriend’s 25, he may —

CALLER: He’s only 22.

CLINIC: Or 22, he may turn him in.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Okay? If you two were married, he could sign off for it. But you’re not married, and you can’t get married in the state of Wisconsin without your parents’ permission.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Do your parents know that you’re dating him?

CALLER: Well, yeah. They just don’t really like him. They don’t know we’re having sex. I mean, if they found out about that, I don’t know what they would do.

CLINIC: Right. You have school until 3:00?

CALLER: Well, I’m homeschooled.

CLINIC: You’re homeschooled?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay. The office opens at 11:00. When do you want to come in then? What we have open is an 11:45, a 12:45 or anything from 1:00 until 2:00 in 15-minute increments, and then we have like a 2:45 and a 3:00. When could he bring you?

CALLER: Probably at lunchtime. Is the 12:45 one all right?

CLINIC: That’s fine.

CALLER: Okay. The main reason why I’m wondering about all this is because I haven’t had my period since like December 21st. And if I came in for a pregnancy test is there any way that I wouldn’t be pregnant, you think?

CLINIC: There’s a possibility. You’re still young. It’s like your system is probably still growing. And it’s possible that you’re going to have abnormal periods for several years before it regulates out. And it’s possible that all of a sudden it can just quit. You know, if you’ve had a normal period for a year and then all of a sudden it will just quit for a few months, that’s pretty normal at your young age. I’m not guaranteeing that’s what’s going on. What we can do is, we can run a pregnancy test. Have you guys used any kind of birth control whatsoever at all?

CALLER: No. That’s what I was going to ask you next, if we could get on birth control if I wasn’t pregnant.

CLINIC: If the pregnancy comes back negative, we can look at getting you on something to start, like the pills is usually the pretty easiest one to start.

CALLER: Okay. But nobody would have to know if I was on birth control?

CLINIC: Not unless you told them.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Because everything remains confidential here. It would be like going in Marshfields clinic into a doctor’s office. Okay? Let’s see. What’s your last name?

CALLER: It’s Smith.

CLINIC: SMITH?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: First name?

CALLER: Christine.

CLINIC: Is that with a K or a C?

CALLER: A C-H.

CLINIC: It’s T-I-N-E?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Compared — like looking to see if there’s any Christine Smiths in the system. (laughs) Have you ever been seen in a Planned Parenthood in the state of Wisconsin before?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Okay. What’s your street address?

CALLER: Oh. Well, is it all right if I give you like my boyfriend’s?

CLINIC: You can give me his.

CALLER: Okay. Well, I just don’t know it right now, but could I call you back and —

CLINIC: Well, no, you can just give it to me when you’re here.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: That’s some of the information that we ask for. Do you live in Marshfield here?

CALLER: I live in Stratford.

CLINIC: What’s the zip code in Stratford?

CALLER: I’m not really sure. We just moved here. So.

CLINIC: All right. Do you have a phone number that we can reach you at?

CALLER: My boyfriend has a cell phone that he just got, but I don’t know the number for that either.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Is it all right if I give you that this afternoon?

CLINIC: You can give me that information when you come in.

CALLER: Okay. Well, what else would you need if I, when I come in?

CLINIC: What we need — well, you probably don’t work at all.

CALLER: Right.

CLINIC: And you live with your parents?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: Okay. Basically what we need is a billing address, some place we can send a bill if he doesn’t pay all of it today.

CALLER: Well, he said he would pay for everything.

CLINIC: Right. Some way —

CALLER: How much would it be today?

CLINIC: I’m going to figure it’s going to be about $50 bucks.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Just off the top of my head, all right? It’s probably going to be less than that, but that’s just a guess, depending upon how much we have to do. And if you’re not pregnant then we can put you on the pill, and then you can take a couple packs of pills and —

CALLER: Well, if I needed the abortion, how much would that be?

CLINIC: Needed to have what?

CALLER: The abortion, like if I was pregnant and I was going to get an abortion? How much is an abortion?

CLINIC: To give you a good guess, about $400.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: I’m not — you know, I don’t have the fees here in this office for the abortions because we’re just a family planning clinic. But I can give you all that — you know, I will give you the number to call Appleton.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: It’s an 800 number that you can call there, and they could tell you how much it would be.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: For that kind of thing.

CALLER: So if he brought $50 today no one would have to be billed or anything?

CLINIC: Right.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: But we still need a billing address. They do not send any mail to anybody unless we say yes, but we need to have a billing address. We also need —

CALLER: Is it all right if I give you my boyfriend’s address?

CLINIC: That’s fine.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: Give me his address, and then I also need a phone number, some way to reach you, either his home phone number or his cell phone number, whatever. Okay?

CALLER: All right. Okay. So is it all right if I call you back with that then?

CLINIC: You can give me that when you come in.

CALLER: Oh, all right. Okay. So 12:45 today?

CLINIC: Yeah. We’ll see you at 12:45 for a pregnancy test and then we’ll go from there on what other services you may or may not need.

CALLER: Okay. Who would I talk to when I get there?

CLINIC: Just check in at the front desk here. When you walk in the door there’s a window. Just check in by the window. Who is ever here will help you.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay? It’s usually Nancy, but whoever is by the window will help you.

CALLER: Okay. And what was your name again?

CLINIC: I’m Amy.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: I’m the medical assistant, so I’ll be the one running the pregnancy test and talking to the two of you when you’re here and then determining what we need to do and how we’re going to do it. Okay?

CALLER: Okay. And you’re sure that no one would have to know that I’m there?

CLINIC: Nobody will know that you are here.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: Unless you tell them.

CALLER: Oh. Okay.

CLINIC: And I just want you to know, I do encourage all of my young patients to tell parents.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: I really do. I feel that it’s the best to be open and honest with them. Okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: I’m not going to go and call them and tell them.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: That’s not my place, but I do encourage my patients to talk to their parents, especially if they’re pregnant and they’re seeking an abortion.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: All right? Well, see you when you get here at 12:45.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Bye.

CLINIC: Bye.

(phone clicks)

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