With the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June and the recent appearance of anti-abortion protesters at the Arch on Sep. 23, it’s important to remember that abortion is still legal and accessible in Illinois. North by Northwestern has put together a comprehensive guide of how and where to get an abortion near Evanston.
What are my options?
Abortion is legal in Illinois until the fetus can survive on its own outside the pregnant person’s body, about 24 to 26 weeks into a pregnancy. Illinois law also grants you the right to a completely confidential abortion, even if you’re under 18.
There are multiple options for abortion within the state. There are two main categories of abortions: the abortion pill and in-clinic abortions.
The abortion pill
If it’s been less than 11 weeks since your last period, you can take an abortion pill. The abortion pill is actually two pills you take: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone stops the fetus’ growth and misoprostol, the second pill, is taken either right away or up to 48 hours after the first pill. Your doctor or nurse can advise you on the right timeline.
The process is 87-98% effective depending on how far along the pregnancy is. Symptoms include large blood clots, bleeding and mild to severe cramping (similar to period cramps), but those are entirely normal and expected. The second pill should take effect within 24 hours. If you do not have any bleeding within 24 hours of taking the second pill, call your nurse or doctor. Ibuprofen is okay for pain, but don’t take aspirin — it can make your bleeding worse.
Most providers of the pill will allow patients to go through every step of the abortion process from home: from virtual appointments to having the pill mailed. You should note that doing this process remotely instead of in-person could impact what your insurance may cover.
In-clinic abortion
You can get an in-clinic abortion at any time before 24-26 weeks (before the fetus is viable).
An in-clinic abortion can take a few different forms depending on how far along you are. More information on how the process works can be found on Planned Parenthood’s website.
In-clinic abortions are over 99% effective in terminating pregnancies without follow-up procedures. In-clinic abortions also tend to take only 15 minutes or less.
Cost
The cost of abortion varies based depending on insurance plans, abortion providers and the type of abortion. Illinois Medicaid will cover the complete cost of an abortion. Most Illinois-based private insurance plans are also required to cover abortions.
If a person needs help paying for their abortion or for transportation to a clinic, they can contact an abortion fund for financial assistance. NU-SHIP covers 80% of the cost of an abortion with an in-network provider, and 60% of the cost of an abortion with an out-of-network provider. Our resources on abortion providers in the Evanston area will note which providers are in network for NU-SHIP.
Abortion providers
Below you can find a list of abortion providers in and around Evanston with how far they are from The Arch.
Show all
Aetna
Beech Street
BlueChoice Open Access
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cigna
CoFinity
Coventry
First Health Network
Humana
Illinicare
IL Medicaid
Medicaid
Meridian
MultiPlan
Preferred Plan Network
Unicare
United Healthcare
Other
I don't have insurance
Pill
Address
N/A – Fully remote
Distance from Weber Arch
N/A
Accepted Insurance
Aetna (can use HSA/FSA)
Other Services
Not available
Is by-mail service available?
Yes
PillIn-Clinic
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: 12 minutes
BY BUS: Less than 30 minutes on the 208, around 45 minutes on the 201
Accepted Insurance
Aetna (out of network), Blue Cross Blue Shield, BlueChoice Open Access, Cigna, Coventry, Meridian, United Healthcare, IL Medicaid
Other Services
Birth Control (IUDs, shots, pills, patches, implants), Morning After Pill, STI & UTI Testing
Is by-mail service available?
Yes, but they do not accept insurance or Medicaid for abortion pills by mail
Pill
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: Slightly over 30 minutes
BY BUS: About 1 hour
Accepted Insurance
Doesn’t take insurance
Other Services
UTI and STD treatment, birth control consulting, free pregnancy tests
Is by-mail service available?
It’s possible, but not typically
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: Slightly over 30 minutes
BY BUS: Slightly under an hour
BY THE L: Nearly 40 minutes
Accepted Insurance
Aetna (in network), Beech Street, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Coventry, Humana, Illinicare, Medicaid, Meridian (MCO), United Healthcare, and more
Other Services
Emergency contraception, STD testing and treatment, HIV services
Is by-mail service available?
Yes
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: A little over a half hour
BY BUS: A little over a half hour
Accepted Insurance
IL Medicaid
Other Services
Not available
Northwestern Specialists for Women
PillIn-Clinic
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: Around 35 minutes
BY BUS: One hour 20 minutes
BY THE L: One hour 20 minutes
Accepted Insurance
Aetna, Beech Street, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, CoFinity, First Health Network, Humana Choice Care, MultiPlan, Preferred Plan Network, Unicare, United Health Care
Other Services
Not available
Is by-mail service available?
No
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: 35 minutes
BY METRA: A little over an hour
Accepted Insurance
IL Medicaid and private insurance, which must be pre-approved by the doctor – but if your deductible is higher than the cost of the procedure, you have to pay for it yourself
Other Services
Not available
Planned Parenthood (Elizabeth Cohn Morris Health Center)
PillIn-Clinic
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: Around 40 minutes
BY THE L: One hour
Accepted Insurance
Aetna (in network), Beech Street, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Coventry, Humana, Illinicare, Medicaid, Meridian, United Healthcare, and more
Other Services
Birth Control (IUDs, shots, pills, patches, implants, NuvaRings), Morning After Pill, Pregnancy Testing, STD Testing & Treatment, HIV Services
Is by-mail service available?
Yes
Distance from Weber Arch
BY CAR: One hour
BY METRA: Slightly under one hour
BY THE L: One hour 15 minutes
Accepted Insurance
Aetna (in network), Beech Street, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Coventry, Humana, Illinicare, Medicaid, Meridian, United Healthcare, and more
Other Services
Birth control, emergency contraception, STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, HIV services
Is by-mail service available?
Yes
Other resources
This guide is not exhaustive, but we hope that it helps Northwestern students in need of or just curious about abortion access near campus. Below are additional resources to explore abortion funds, as well as abortion access beyond Evanston.
- Chicago abortion fund: 312-663-0338 (Helpline hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM CST)
- Midwest Access Coalition: 847-750-6224 or [email protected]
Illinois abortion funds
Go to abortionfunds.org for more information on abortion funds.
- Plan C has more information on how to obtain abortion pills.
- Abortion Finder has more information on where to find an abortion provider anywhere in the country as well as information on a larger number of insurance providers.
- The Center for Reproductive Rights has information on abortion rights in every state.
Learn more about abortion access