What to Do If Your Local Abortion Clinic Closed

Finding out that your local abortion clinic closed may make you feel helpless. Abortion clinics in the United States close for many reasons, such as state laws, funding difficulties, and more regulations. As a result of clinic closure, patients may face longer distances to go to the clinic and may find it difficult to find a provider providing them with safe abortion services.

The most important thing to understand is that you have options. Even if the nearest clinic has closed, there are still ways to obtain safe and legal abortions. Some possible alternatives include telehealth, traveling to another city or state to go to a clinic, and receiving a medication abortion by mail from a licensed provider.

This guide provides information on what to do if your abortion provider closes and how to find safe alternatives to getting the care you need.

Why Abortion Clinics Are Closing

Learning about why clinics shut down provides understanding of how access has gradually evolved over time.

Reasons for changes in clinic locations / locations of clinics across the US can be attributed to multiple reasons:

Changing state laws

After overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, a number of states imposed new restrictions or outlawed abortion in general. Some states have placed very strict restrictions on clinics providing abortion care.

Increased regulations

Many states also have regulations guiding what types of licenses clinics can have or what type of facilities come under these regulations, which are very challenging or expensive to maintain.

Financial and staffing challenges

Just as any other healthcare facility, clinics that provide abortion may close due to increases in operational costs, decreases in available funding and/or lack of operational staff.

Political pressure and legal uncertainty

The operations of many clinics have also been affected directly or indirectly by litigation, which makes providing abortion care extremely difficult.

Many women can no longer get to an abortion clinic without taking on significant burden, or facing other healthcare option, than traveling to an abortion clinic.

Step 1: Confirm Is abortion still legal in my state?

When a facility has shut down, the first thing you will want to determine is whether or not abortion remains accessible to you where you live. Each state has its own rules regarding abortion, so it is important to check if you are in a state that has provided protections for abortion rights, as well as if there are limits on how long into pregnancy an individual can request to end the pregnancy. If you have questions about what the law allows or prohibits in your state, there are a number of different types of resources available to you.

Here are a few:

• The Center for Reproductive Rights is a reputable NGO that provides information on state abortion laws.
• Visit your state’s department of health official website.
• Check with your healthcare provider for additional guidance.

Even if you are residing in a state that restricts access to abortion, it is often possible to obtain an abortion in another state. An example of a state where persons can obtain legal access to abortion is Illinois; the state has some of the strongest legal protections as well as many clinics that welcome out-of-state residents for care. Learn more about how to access abortion care in Illinois if you are considering traveling for services.

Step 2: Consider Medication Abortion (The Abortion Pill)

There are certain times early in the pregnancy where medication abortion is an option.

Medication abortion is the combination of two drugs (mifepristone and misoprostol) to safely terminate a pregnancy and is commonly used in the U.S. and approved by the FDA for non-surgery.

Medication abortion may also be an option for you if you:

• Usually are 10 or fewer weeks pregnant
• Medically able to take the medications
• Can follow your healthcare provider’s instructions

One big benefit to using medication abortion is that it can often be managed by telehealth, which allows the patient to get their care without going to see a clinic. Find out more about abortion pill services and whether this option is right for you.

Step 3: Access Telehealth Abortion Services

People rely on telehealth as a primary method of obtaining abortion services whenever aggressive state level restrictions lead to the closure of local clinics or limit abortion services.

Telehealth allows patients to do the following:

• Access an online appointment with a licensed healthcare professional
• View their medical history, discuss all options available
• Receive abortion medication via mail (if you meet the requirements)
• Access both medical and emotional support during the entire process

Telehealth will be especially beneficial to those patients who:

• Live in rural areas
• Do not have transportation available
• Prefer to maintain their privacy
• Cannot easily travel long distances to the office of a provider

Providers such as Serenity Choice Health continue to provide telehealth abortion care appointments, which allow patients to connect with qualified medical professionals to discuss their option.

Telehealth, like traditional medical care, is governed by state law, and therefore, eligibility will depend on donde estás ubicado.

Step 4: Find the Nearest In-Person Abortion Provider

If you choose to have an abortion in-person rather than at home, or you are more than 12 weeks pregnant, then your next step is to find out where your nearest abortion provider is located.

Even if your local clinic has closed, there will still be clinics available to you in:

• your closest city
• your closest county
• a neighboring state

When looking to find a place to get an abortion in your area, use the following resources:

• Abortion Finder
• I Need an A
• Planned Parenthood

These resources will help you search for abortion facilities by using your ZIP code, and will give you a list of verified abortion providers in your area.

Watch Out for Crisis Pregnancy Centers

When looking for pregnancy care, don’t go to a pregnancy crisis center (CPC). They may look like clinics, and they do not offer abortions. They may try to keep patients from having an abortion by providing false or misleading information.

To make sure you are working with a valid clinic:

• Validate that this clinic provides abortions
• Confirm that they have doctors and nurses on staff to carry out clinical procedures.
• Look up reviews from patients who have used independent reviewing services.

Step 5: Plan Travel If Necessary

Traveling to receive abortion services might be necessary if there are no providers in the immediate area.

There are now many patients traveling to states that provide more access. States like Illinois, California, Colorado and New York are some of the biggest areas providing reproductive health care.

There is planning involved when traveling to receive care. Those plans may include:

• transportation
• place to stay
• arranging for child care
• taking time off of work
• scheduling appointments

While that can be difficult, many organizations are available to assist patients with coordinating travel. You can schedule an appointment with a provider in advance to reduce delays when you arrive.

Financial Assistance for Abortion Care

The cost of abortion care is often a significant barrier to access, particularly when patients also need to travel for abortion services.

However, many resources exist to support patients covering certain or all costs associated with abortion services.

Abortion funds

For example, there are plenty of nonprofit organizations that can provide patients with funding to pay for travel, lodging, or other related expenses when seeking abortion services.

Insurance coverage

Some states have Medicaid that may cover abortion services.

Sliding-scale pricing

In addition, some private health insurers might provide coverage for abortion services, while some healthcare providers offer payment plans or income-based pricing when providing abortion services to patients.

It is recommended that patients ask the provider about any available financial assistance options prior to scheduling an appointment.

What If You Live in a Rural Area?

Clinics closing causes a lot of extra problems for rural patients.

Patients living in rural health care deserts may experience:

• providers that are fewer and farther away,
• distance to travel to see the provider.
• limited transportation options to get to the provider.

For these reasons, telehealth services and medication abortion have become extremely valuable methods of enhancing patient access to care.

Rural patients may improve their access to care by using:

• telehealth consultations,
• medication abortion via mail,
• regional clinics that serve a broader area.

Getting Abortion Care in Illinois

As a result of the legal protections of Illinois, many women living in the Midwest look to Illinois for access to abortion services because not only does it legally support women seeking an abortion but it also provides clinic services for women from surrounding states as well.

Some of the states that send patients to Illinois are:

• Indiana
• Missouri
• Wisconsin
• Kentucky
• Iowa

For women looking for reproductive health care services near Chicago, the Matteson, IL area is one of the most common places to find these types of services as they offer safe and confidential in-clinic abortion services.

Serenity Choice Health: Supporting Patients After Clinic Closures

It is critical to have access to reliable providers when local clinics have closed. Serenity Choice Health provides Illinois, Indiana and New York with reproductive health care options via both in-the-office and telehealth methods. Our clinic is located in Matteson, IL and serves both Chicago and several surrounding states.

Services offered by Serenity Choice Health include:

• Medication abortion (abortion pills)
• Telehealth abortion consultation
• Obtaining abortion pills via mail when medically acceptable
• In-the-office reproductive health care
• Confidential consultation with a licensed provider

At Serenity Choice Health, education, safety and compassionate care are our primary objectives. We educate our patients so they understand all options available to them and receive appropriate health care.

Serenity Choice Health can act as a source of guidance for your current situation if there are no longer any local clinics that you are able to access or provide you with safe medical service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if all abortion clinics in my area close?

There are still ways to get an abortion.

• You can use telehealth services
• travel somewhere else
• use a telehealth service to get care by mail from someone who provides abortions.

Many states have healthcare organizations and abortion funds that can help with funding and getting to your appointment.

Is medication abortion safe?

Yes. Abortion by pill is a very safe method, used by millions of people in countries around the world. If done with a qualified provider, and according to the instructions, this method has a high success rate.

Can I travel to another state for an abortion?

If you are looking to have an abortion, you may want to think about how far away your state is from where you are living. Many people are afraid to travel to another state to get an abortion, due to legal restrictions.

In many cases, yes; a patient in one state that cannot get an abortion, will have to travel to another state that allows abortions.

How early should I schedule an appointment?

If you have already made your decision to have an abortion, the best thing to do is to get in touch with a provider as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. The sooner you see the provider, the more options you will have for your abortion. You may also find that scheduling way in advance of your home state’s restriction will give you more time to make it to your appointment.

How to Get Abortion Pills by Mail?

In addition to seeing a provider for an abortion appointment, you can also get a prescription for the abortion pill via a telemedicine consultation. Once your provider is able to assess your medical history and determine whether you qualify for medication abortion (generally by the end of 10-11 weeks), the provider is able to prescribe the abortion pill, and discreetly send it (with instructions and medical support) to your address via the U.S. Postal Service.