Funding Guidelines for Chicago Abortion Fund:
The Chicago Abortion Fund's Client Services Line is generally open once a week for a certain amount of time. Please call the line and listen to the detailed message to learn the next time it will be open. You can call the line at (312) 663-0338- no one will answer if the line is not open. Please do not leave a message. Due to the volume of calls we receive, we can not return your calls.
At the time of the call, you must have scheduled your appointment and raised as much money as you possibly can. We do not assist with the entire cost. We operate on a first come, first serve basis and we will not penalize you due to the circumstances in which you became pregnant.
At the time of the appointment, you must be in your second trimester, which begins at 13 weeks. Your pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last menstrual cycle. For example, if the first day of your menstrual cycle was March 10th, and it is now June 17th, you are 14 weeks pregnant. Even if you know the sexual encounter in which you got pregnant, the doctors will NOT go by that date.
If you are currently in your first trimester and want to wait until you qualify for our funding, please DO NOT! Abortion costs go up every week, and you will have to come up with more and more money up front. Further, there is a possibility that you will not be able to get through on the client service line due to the volume of calls. Most funds will not pay for more than half of the procedure, and our funding depends on your needs, income and other circumstances. If you are in your first trimester, here are some resources:
- University of Illinois at Chicago's Center for Reproductive Health
under $300 with Medicaid, under $400 otherwise- priced until the 14th week
(312) 413-8553
- University of Chicago's Ryan Center
under $400 with Medicaid, a little over $400 otherwise- also up to 14 weeks
(773) 834-9995
a little over $300 up to 12 weeks, under $500 up to 14 weeks, a little over $500 up to 16 weeks
(773) 252-3600
- Cook County/John Stroger Hospital
sliding scale according to your income, first trimester only
(312) 864-0850....
Please do NOT wait to deal with terminating your pregnancy! Not only do prices go up every week (up to $2,000), abortion is illegal in Illinois after 23.5 weeks.
If you have an appointment with Planned Parenthood, please ask to speak to a "financial counselor" at the clinic you made an appointment with and they may be able to work something out with you.
Finally, some other resources for abortion procedures:
National Abortion Federation: 1 (800) 772-9100
M-F 8am-10pm; Sat 8am-4pm; they do not have an answering machine, keep calling until you get through; nationwide
Third Wave Abortion Fund: (212) 228-8311 X16
Part of a large organization, work with women 15-30; nation wide
Financial Brainstorming or Ways To Come Up With More Money:
- Can you borrow money from the man who got you pregnant?
- Do you have a credit card or can you borrow a family member's or friend's?
- Can you borrow a large amount from a family member or friend?
- Can you put off bills for additional money?
- If you can't tell others about your situation, we sometimes suggest you borrow small amounts of cash from several friends/family members- small enough that people usually can do it, but won't ask too many questions. If 10 people give you $20, then you have $200...
- If you're employed, can you get an advance on salary or work extra shifts?
- Can you do child care or other odd jobs like hair braiding, lawn care, cook meals for someone?
- If you have belong to one, can you get a loan from your bank or credit union?
- Have you checked to see if an abortion is covered on the insurance of a spouse or parent(s)?
Other Abortion Resources
Regardless of how you become pregnant, it is each women's right to determine for herself, whether she is ready to become a parent or not. Often times, finding yourself pregnant when you don't want to be is a stressful, hard time for a woman or girl. So here are some tips on keeping your cool, some resources for whatever your ultimate decision may be and ways to take care of yourself.
Deciding about a pregnancy:
In Good Conscience: A Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Guide to Deciding Whether to Have an Abortion by Anna Runkle
Pregnant? Need Help? Pregnancy Options Workbook (Online)- www.pregnancyoptions.info
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Deciding On Which Abortion Method Is Best For You:.
www.pregnancyoptions.info/whichmethod.htm
Abortion Resource Handbook: Everything You Need To Know About... by K. Kaufmann
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Finding Clinics, Finding Money:
Find an abortion clinic near you: www.gynpages.com
National Abortion Federation: www.prochoice.org or 1-800-772-9100
National Network of Abortion Funds: www.nnaf.org/help.html
Yellow Pages/Telephone Book: look under "abortion clinics" NOT "abortion alternatives". Organizations listed under this title are often NOT actual clinics, often NOT staffed by medical professionals and may exaggerate an abortion's effect on you, your fetus and future pregnancies/children.
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Need someone to listen to your post-abortive story? Want to read others' stories?
Exhale
"Exhale serves women who have had abortions and their partners, friends and family. We respect the cultural, social and religious beliefs of all our callers."
www.4exhale.com
1-866-4-EXHALE (439-4253)
M-F 5pm – 10pm, Pacific & S-S 12pm - 10pm, Pacific
Mine: An Anthology of Women's Choices by MerryDeath (an independently published magazine, may be hard to find)
Our Bodies, Ourselves, "Abortion" chapter, by the Boston Women's Health Book collective
Our Truths – Nuestras Verdades magazine- www.ourtruths.org
I'm Not Sorry website - www.imnotsorry.net
The following websites sometimes lean towards not being pro choice, but we are listing them for you to decide where you feel comfortable.
A Heartbreaking Choice website: for parents who aborted due to fetal anomaly- www.aheartbreakingchoice.com.
Post Abortion Healing Help- www.afterabortion.com.