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Preparing for Your Appointment

What do your need for your visit to Planned Parenthood?

  • Mask - All patients are required to wear a mask while in the health center. If you don't have a mask, one will be provided for you.
  • Photo ID - Minors who have an appointment DO NEED a photo ID.
  • Insurance Card(s) if you have insurance.   
  • If you have a separate card for pharmacy benefits - bring that, too!
  • Payment - Payment is due at time of service.

Important Update

The health and safety of our patients and staff is our top priority. To help ensure everyone has a safe, healthy experience, we are providing additional information and policies regarding COVID-19. We will continue to provide updates as things change.

Thank you for your support and flexibility.

Learn More about COVID-19

Before Your Appointment

  • Please take a look at our payment and insurance information.
  • Due to COVID-19, we are screening all patients for symptoms by phone prior to their visit. We will call from a private number the day before your appointment.
  • Please arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to fill out the necessary paperwork. For example, if you schedule an appointment for 2:10 p.m., please plan to arrive for check-in at 2:00 p.m. 
  • If you are running late for your appointment, know that we will make every effort to accommodate you, but you may not be seen that day. If you think you will be late, please call us at 314-531-7526.

For Telehealth Appointments

  • Please find a private, quiet place for your telehealth visit. The visit should take 30-45 minutes.
  • Your can arrive for your virtual visit up to 15 minutes prior to and up to 15 minutes after the scheduled appointment time. If you enter the virtual waiting room early, you may have to wait until the scheduled appointment time for the virtual visit to start. 
  • If you have any issues connecting in the telehealth platform, we'll call you from a private number, so please answer the phone. If you have issues connecting, you can call 314-531-7526 & the call center will connect you to your clinician.

For All Appointments

  • Food and drink are not allowed in the waiting room.
  • We request you turn off your cell phone while in the health center.  If you must use your phone, please step outside. 
  • If you are running late, please call us at 314-531-7526 so that we can discuss your options for the day. We will make every effort to accommodate you but know that we might not be able to see you that day.
  • If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer that appointment time to someone else. 

Every day, Planned Parenthood works to make sure patients receive the high-quality health care they need in a supportive environment. That includes ensuring patients can get in and out of Planned Parenthood health centers safely and know what to expect when coming to their appointment.

Re: Pap Tests

If you’ve had a Pap test within the past three years, and are between the ages of 21 and 66, please bring the following information to your appointment:

  •          Name of doctor/location who provided the Pap test
  •          Approximate date of the Pap test
  •          Result of the Pap test

This information is to ensure we provide only the health care you need. If you’re not sure if you received a Pap test, then please bring the information above to the best of your ability.

If you received your Pap test at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, then you do not need to bring in this information.

If you have any questions, please give us a call at 314-531-7526.

Birth Control Appointments

Birth control is not one size fits all! That's why Planned Parenthood offers a variety of birth control methods.  If you are looking to start birth control, or start a new birth control method, then please take a look at types of birth control we offer.

This will allow you to have a more informed conversation with the clinician.

Annual Exam and Pap Test Appointments

Planned Parenthood follows the recommendations of national medical organizations and generally provides pap testing every three to five years. This may vary depending on your medical and pap history.  

The clinician will evaluate your need for a pelvic exam if you are not due for a pap test.

If you are due for a pap, in order to get the best results, do not douche or place anything in the vagina 24 hours before your appointment.

If you use the Nuvaring, you can leave the ring in place.

If you are on your menstrual cycle, we can continue with your appointment.

Yeast or Bacterial Infection Appointments

Symptoms of an infection can include discharge, vaginal odor, painful urination, lesions, or other symptoms.

We will provide an exam and testing to diagnose the problem and recommend treatment.

If you are on your menstrual cycle, we can continue with your appointment.

Please do not insert anything vaginally for 24 hours prior to your appointment.  This includes over-the-counter vaginal creams and medications.

Please do not urinate for 1 hour prior to your appointment. 

Please be sure to eat prior to your appointment as we may need to draw your blood.

If you believe you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection, it is best to wait at least two weeks before getting tested. The testing may not pick up the infection if you are tested sooner than that. 

STD Testing and Treatment Appointments

Typical screening includes tests for the most common Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and HIV. Urine and blood samples are collected and sent to a lab for testing.

We don't routinely screen for herpes. If you would like to be tested for herpes, please let us know when making your appointment. Either let us know over the phone or select "STD Screening/I currently have symptoms" when booking your appointment online. You'll need to visit with our nurse practitioner to determine if testing is appropriate. 

If you're seeking STD testing because you're concerned that you may have been exposed to gonorrhea or chlamydia, schedule an appointment two weeks after the potential exposure. Testing sooner than that will not show if you were infected by that encounter. If you believe you were exposed to HIV, wait six weeks from the time of the exposure to get tested for the same reason.

HIV Testing Appointments

We offer confidential HIV antibody testing with pre- and post-test consultation. You can choose between a rapid test (results available that day) or a blood test (sent to the lab with results back in a couple of weeks).

Please be sure to eat something before coming, as we may be drawing your blood.

Please do not urinate for one hour prior to your appointment.

IUD and Implant Appointments

When you come in, we will talk with you and review your medical history to make sure you are a good candidate for these birth control methods. Some patients will be able to have the IUD or Implant inserted that day.  For other patients, after your consultation visit we will need to order your device from an outside pharmacy. You will need to come back for a follow-up visit to get the device inserted once it has arrived at the health center. The staff will talk with you further about this during your visit.

If you are getting an IUD inserted, we recommend that you take two to three over-the-counter Ibuprofen (a total of 400-600mg) one hour before your appointment. This will increase your comfort level during the procedure. 

Pregnancy Testing Appointments

Our pregnancy tests are urine tests. We will only draw blood for a pregnancy test if it’s medically needed or upon the patient’s request.

If you learn you are pregnant, we will discuss your options with you. Depending on your choice, we will refer you to the appropriate services.

Other Types of Appointments

Do not douche, have sex, or put anything in your vagina 24 hours before your pelvic exam. Contact us if you have questions.

Checkups for gynecological concerns may require a pelvic exam.

For the testing and treatment of urinary tract infections, we will need to collect a urine sample at the time of your visit.

For the testing and treatment of vaginal infections, a pelvic exam may be required.

We offer education and treatment for menopause and midlife issues, including non-hormonal treatment(s).

Cervical cancer screenings require a pelvic exam and Pap test.

Forms for your appointment

Save time and fill out forms before your appointment. Find forms to send medical records or to ask Planned Parenthood to send you records. 

Find forms here

After Your Appointment

After your appointment, look for our patient survey in your email. The survey will be from Planned Parenthood and will be sent to you within a week after your appointment. The survey should only take about 10 minutes to complete.

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

Thank you for being a Planned Parenthood patient!

Consider supporting Planned Parenthood by making a donation today.

Donate Today

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