Restriction on Public Abortion Data
In Illinois, the Pritzker Administration has decided to begin limiting public information regarding abortion. This decision to restrict information is due to concerns about privacy and safety for individuals seeking an abortion. According to the release from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the state will no longer be reporting information regarding Illinois counties or specific states of out-of-state residents who receive abortions in Illinois. Before this decision, this information was made available to the public. As a result, there will be less data indicating where those seeking abortion in Illinois are coming from and which counties are most impacted by abortion.
Caring Network exists to seek the suffering from and desire for abortion in the state of Illinois. Our vision to expand our reach starts with the Chicagoland area and stretches to the entire state and beyond. Many women are coming to Illinois intent on having an abortion – and we want to be there to meet them in their time of need. By providing free early pregnancy services and compassionate care, we equip them with the resources needed to choose life. To learn more about our important mission, reach out today!
Abortion in Illinois Before and After Roe v. Wade
As a reminder, since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, abortion is still legal. It is now up to individual states to determine abortion legality or restrictions. In the state of Illinois, a restriction was put in place that the termination of a child in the womb is legal at and after viability if it is a health concern for the mother.
It was released by the IDPH that there were around 52,000 abortions performed in Illinois alone in the 2021. According to Planned Parenthood, one of the biggest providers of abortion, there has been an increase in individuals traveling from out of state to obtain an abortion procedure here in Illinois. In 2017, there were 40 facilities and clinics providing abortion services in Illinois. This number has continued to grow over the past several years as abortion rates increase.
What Information is Now Restricted?
The Illinois Department of Public Health will not be able to share information about residents who have abortions such as what county they live in. It will also restrict sharing what states individuals have traveled from to get an abortion in Illinois. This restriction protects the privacy of individuals seeking abortion, as well as limiting the public information available to be used by organizations.
What Does This Mean?
This information being restricted affects the possibility of tracking and spreading awareness of the statistics of women who are and who are not residents of Illinois getting abortions.
Expectant mothers will continue to travel from Illinois counties without abortion services and from out of state to obtain terminations of their pregnancies.
The compassionate work of Caring Network has not changed. We will continue to serve women seeking abortions from both within the State of Illinois and beyond. As the cultural climate shifts or legislation changes, our mission remains the same. If you’d like to learn more about how to get involved in this vital work, you can click here to learn more about Caring Network!
