One Year On From Roe, Here’s How To Access Abortion Care Near You

This article was updated on July 5, 2023.

One year ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 federal ruling that protected a person’s right to choose abortion. The decision has left individual states to determine the legality of abortion, and the bans have caused devastating setbacks — to reproductive rights, maternal healthcare, and more. As Vice President Kamala Harris told Refinery29 in May 2022: “We have the highest rate of maternal mortality of any economically strong nation in the world, and women are dying at an extremely high rate.”

Where has that left Americans seeking abortions? If your state has banned abortion or has enacted other severe limits, you can continue to use these resources to guide you to either in- or out-of-state abortion clinics, abortion funds, and other resources.

Abortions can be performed in-clinic using medication or a procedure, or be self-managed via the abortion pill. Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are currently enforcing near-total abortion bans with very limited exceptions.

If you need an abortion, Abortion Finder is an excellent resource and won’t turn up anti-abortion organizations or crisis pregnancy centers (the latter typically operate with the goal of talking pregnant people out of abortion). When you put in your zip code, age range, and the date of your last period, it will tell you specifics about what kind of abortion you likely need (medication or procedure) and what the laws are in your state or the state nearby with the closest abortion clinic.

The search engine I Need An A breaks this information up similarly, figuring out what the laws are in your state and linking you up to verified abortion providers. It also answers specific questions you might have like, “how much is this going to cost,” “how am I going to afford this,” and “what happens during an in-clinic procedure.” Planned Parenthood also has a search function that allows you to find clinics and support in your city and state.

Medication abortion typically involves taking two pills that can be taken up to about 10 weeks in pregnancy (though there are some select people who medical experts don’t recommend medication abortion for, including those with IUDs and certain bleeding disorders). Medication abortion can be done via telehealth.

If you want to self-manage your abortion at home without help from traditional medical systems, resources such as Plan C will help you access a database of telemedicine providers, as well as online pharmacies that will send you abortion pills via mail. HeyJane, Carafem, and Whole Woman's Health all provide legal telemedicine services in various states, while the European website Aid Access will connect people in places where abortion is criminalized to pharmacies in other countries that can send pills. They also have something called “advance provision,” meaning they’ll give you the pills to have on hand in case, even before you get pregnant.

It’s important to note that self-managed abortion has been criminalized before, and there are currently 14 states with total abortion bans. If you have questions about the legality, reach out to If/When/How’s free and confidential Repro Legal Helpline. The Digital Defense Fund offers tips and resources for technological security in connection with abortion access, and Hackblossom’s DIY Guide To Feminist Cybersecurity is also a good resource.

For information on how to use abortion pills, check out guides like How to Use Abortion Pill and Self-managed Abortion; Safe & Supported.

In April, the state of Idaho passed a law that criminalizes anyone who helps a minor travel out of state to get an abortion. This can be any kind of helpful activity, including giving them money, giving them a ride, and even assisting them with finding an appointment. California, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Washington have all passed shield laws to protect people who need to travel to receive abortion care in their states.

Besides Idaho, there are currently no state bans that declare they will take legal action against people helping those who travel interstate to receive an abortion. While interstate travel is a constitutional right, that doesn’t mean you’re entirely safe from prosecution.

According to Repro Legal Helpline, “when you have an abortion in another state where it is legal, you are not committing a crime in that state or in your home state.” If you need more information regarding abortion care and interstate travel, you can reach out to the Repro Legal Helpline at 844-868-2812.

Vice President Harris has urged people to “understand their power” and vote for pro-choice leaders in any upcoming local, state, and federal elections. Find out where abortion is on the ballot this year, put pressure on your district attorney not to criminalize abortion, and vote for pro-choice legislators. If you’re absolutely sick of being told to vote, there are other things you can do as well, like volunteering at an independent abortion clinic or donating money.

There are a lot of organizations out there who’ve been doing work to fight for reproductive rights for decades, so they’re a good place to start. As abortion funds experience  increased costs as a growing number of patients need to travel across state lines, they will be among the greatest in need of support. Here are a few abortion funds and networks now accepting donations, though this is just a start.

National Network of Abortion Funds can connect you to an abortion fund in your state.

Abortion Care Network supports independent clinics (those that are outside of the big networks like Planned Parenthood).

Plan C Pills will help you find pills and support if you want to have a medication abortion through telehealth or self-managing an abortion.

If/When/How has a Repro Legal Helpline that provides callers with secure, confidential, and free legal advice about self-managed abortion. They also offer information on how to stay safe digitally when looking for abortions online through their Internet Safety Guide."

Apiary for Practical Support helps fund people who need logistical help seeking abortion care.

Indigenous Women Rising offers resources and education, and advocates for Indigenous patients.

Keep Our Clinics is running a fundraising campaign for independent clinics.

The Brigid Alliance This organization helps folks traveling long distances for appointments, partnering with various abortion providers and funds.

The Lilith Fund has long provided financial and emotional support to people getting abortions in Texas.

Jane’s Due Process helps people under 18 who may need abortions or other reproductive health care. They also offer resources such as birth control and shelters and abuse resources.