DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa’s stricter abortion laws have officially gone into effect. That means most abortions around six weeks are banned.
Planned Parenthoods in neighboring states with less restrictions tell Local 5 that they’re expecting a ripple effect. Planned Parenthood of Illinois says they’re expecting a surge of patients from Iowa. However, taking on patients from other states isn't new. Planned Parenthood of Illinois' Julie Uhal says they've been doing it for a while.
They've seen a big jump in abortion patients since Roe v Wade was overturned.
“We’ve seen a 47% increase in overall abortion patient volume and we’ve seen patients from over 40 different states," Uhal said.
In fact, the percent of its abortion patients coming from out-of-state jumped from about 3 to 5% to about 25%, according to Uhal. It’s something they’ve been preparing for for a while.
“We saw the writing on the wall really at the beginning of the Trump presidency - that it was a real possibility that national protection for abortion access could be stripped away," she said.
That includes opening up more clinics near Illinois’ borders.
“Our Carbondale health center is another one as well down in the southern tip of Illinois that has seen over 90% of its [abortion patient] volume is people coming from states in the southern region of the U.S.," Uhal said.
They also built-up staffing to help people with financial and logistical barriers.
“We know that it’s not just about having a clinic if people aren’t able to get there. If they don’t have the resources," Uhal said.
That means Planned Parenthood of Illinois is helping with things like flight logistics, buses, hotels, and getting subsidies off cost of care. Uhal says that in Illinois, abortions are allowed up until around 24 to 26 weeks of pregnancy. She says that Planned Parenthood of Illinois provides abortions up to 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin's Analiese Eicher tells Local 5 that Iowa's tightening restrictions could mean an influx of patients for them too.
“The strain on our ability to provide care to the people who need it will become a little more difficult but that’s not to say that we’re not prepared…,” she said.
Eicher says that, at one point, abortion care was suspended in Wisconsin but that, since care resumed in September of 2023, their appointments have consistently been booked with people needing abortion care with a mix of in and out of state patients. She adds that this isn't unique to Wisconsin or Illinois. States with strict abortion laws put a bigger strain on other states with more accessible care. They also say Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin expanded services that help people with barriers to care in preparation for Roe v Wade being overturned.
Eicher says that the current law of the land in Wisconsin allows abortion through 21 weeks and six days from a patient's last menstrual cycle. She adds that surgical abortions are offered at four of their health centers.