Three years ago, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority enabled states to severely restrict abortion or ban it outright. Since then, 17 states have enacted such limits; infant and maternal mortality have risen in many of them. But the impact of overturning Roe v. Wade extends far beyond medical catastrophes. It also appears in the quieter struggles—a myriad of small, compounding barriers that stand between individuals and their access to health care. Here are some of the stories of people who have stepped up to do what they can to provide care, and some of the women who found themselves trapped in a system increasingly difficult to navigate.
People from the Midwest are often referred to us through their local abortion funds, which cover the clinical costs, but not the travel. That’s where we come in.
I’ve been working on our hotline since the fall of 2016. In the past, when nobody was messaging us, it was kind of nice to have a little break. Now, when there’s more need than ever and it’s calm, I feel anxious. “Why is it quiet?” I wonder. It feels like there’s an increase in people who don’t have funding for the abortion. Often, abortion funds in their state have hit capacity.
Sometimes people have their abortions already scheduled and just need money for gas, hotels, or flights. We might recommend a clinic depending on where they are and how far along they are in their pregnancy. If someone doesn’t know that information, we may suggest a state and clinic that provides care through the second trimester to better ensure they won’t be turned away.
Statistically, most people who have abortions already have children. I am so glad when we can refer parents to clinics with children’s areas. It’s such a relief to parents that they can get their medication abortion while their 2-year-olds are safe in the play place. We also know clinics that excel at advocating for Spanish-speaking folks.
I worry about new barriers to abortion. We have seen in the news immigrant communities reducing visits to doctor’s appointments due to fear of deportation. There’s absolutely no way that isn’t going to impact folks who are trying to travel for abortion care. But I trust that the reproductive justice community will keep finding ways. That’s what this is—people, on abortion fund hotlines, volunteer drivers and appointment companions, doulas and midwives, clinic escorts—people meeting their communities where they are at, and saying, “Yeah, I’m free this Saturday, and I want to help.”
—MJ, director of programs, Midwest Access Coalition
