Abortion Access State by State: Two Funds’ Perspectives

“More than 80% of our callers cross state lines.”

–– Missouri Abortion Fund

Missouri is what’s known as a “trigger law” state: if Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion will immediately become illegal. Currently, there is only one clinic in our state that provides abortion care. Missourians seeking an abortion are subject to mandatory “counseling” and a 72-hour waiting period. Without federal protection of abortion rights, bodily autonomy will be placed exclusively in the hands of our hostile state legislature. All Missourians, already inundated with misleading advertising from fake clinics, will be forced to travel across state lines to secure care, as many already do. This can mean hundreds of miles to travel and additional costs that far exceed the cost of an abortion procedure itself.

Meanwhile, across the state line in Illinois, there is no waiting period, no mandatory counseling, no unnecessary vaginal ultrasound. For many folks in Missouri, traveling out-of-state for their abortion is the most logical option. Between July 2020 and June 2021, we served 1,498 patients–at least 1,201 of whom obtained care in Illinois. We’re proud to be able to assist those patients and lucky to have a clinic near the St. Louis metro area for referrals. Patients outside of this region, however, are unable to access the care they need when they need it. There are few better examples of how difficult hostile state legislatures can make abortion access than what we see in the access gap between Illinois and Missouri. This is what abortion care will look like if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

To support Missouri Abortion Fund directly: mofund.org/donate

“If Roe falls, the need for abortion funds in Minnesota will explode.”

–– Our Justice (Minnesota)

Minnesota has a state-level constitutional right to abortion access, thanks to our work as one of the six plaintiffs in Doe v Gomez. Despite this, our lawmakers have been chipping away at abortion access, passing all types of restrictions: a 24-hour waiting period, two-parent notifications for minors, a medically inaccurate physician’s script.

If Roe were to fall, the need for abortion funds in Minnesota would explode. In 2020, we pledged support to 444 people. Between January and August this year, we’ve made 364 pledges. About half of these pledges are to people traveling from out-of-state. We offer practical support by paying for hotel stays, helping people navigate insurance and find the right clinic, coordinating rides to appointments, connecting with doulas, and finding additional funds if necessary.

As plaintiffs in Doe v. Minnesota, we’re working proactively to remove fourteen abortion restrictions in Minnesota. We chose to bring our case in state court so that no matter what happens at the federal level, Minnesotans and those who come here for abortion care will be protected. Even if a federal right to abortion survives Dobbs v. Jackson, we know the states surrounding Minnesota will continue to restrict access to abortion, forcing people to travel here for care. And while abortion would remain technically legal here, access will remain challenging. We have limited funds to distribute and limited providers in the state.

Now is the time to donate directly to abortion funds like ours and to independent clinics. We’re going to need support to meet the increased need for abortion access in Minnesota.

To support Our Justice directly: ourjustice.net/donate