Someone asked us:

I have a friend who, for her own health and safety, needs and wants to have an abortion. She is seven weeks along. She’s hiding from her ex though. Can she get an abortion under a pseudonym through PP so he can’t track her down?

Your friend is lucky to have your help and support in this difficult situation. Many people come to Planned Parenthood health centers with this concern.

Usually with any medical appointment, the staff request to see some form of ID. But privacy laws keep your medical information safe from others. That means that your friend’s ex-boyfriend can’t find out about her abortion, but it’s possible that another doctor could see her medical records in some circumstances (like if her records had to be sent to another doctor in the case of an emergency). But doctors’ offices and other health clinics — like Planned Parenthood health centers — generally can’t disclose whether or not you’ve ever been a patient there.

Our health centers work hard to provide confidential services for everyone. But ask about privacy when making an appointment to make sure you know exactly what the policies are.

If your friend uses health insurance to pay for her abortion, a statement might come in the mail describing the services she had. If she’s on someone else’s health insurance plan (i.e. parents, spouse, domestic partner), she should call the insurance company to ask about their privacy policies.

Your local Planned Parenthood health center will work with your friend to ease her concerns about privacy and make sure that she is secure throughout her procedure. They can also connect her to resources, like local domestic violence shelters, to make sure she’s safe after she leaves the health center.

-Chelsea @ Planned Parenthood