Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Illinois has doubled down as a safe haven for abortions.
By the numbers
According to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, since last June:
- The organization saw a 54% increase in abortions
- Patients’ financial and travel needs more than doubled
- Nearly 25% of patients came from out of state, up from 7% before the decision
The Illinois Department of Public Health told Hey Chicago it did not have updates on statewide abortion data after 2020.
By the laws
From protecting Illinois abortion providers and out-of-state patients to ensuring insurance companies cover medications that induce abortions, state lawmakers have passed a slew of reproductive right measures this year, WBEZ reported. Anti–abortion rights lawmakers introduced legislation, too; though, the bills didn’t pass.
Deerfield–based Walgreens said it would continue to send abortion pills to states where it is legal amid federal court battles.
By the stories
Downstate, Carbondale is a destination for patients seeking abortions from the Midwest and the South. A Champaign provider called the work “life-changing.”
