Yahoo Sports Abortion has been outlawed in Missouri for a full year. How you can still access care
It’s been a year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade when Missouri became the first state in the country to implement a near-total abortion ban. The specifics of the ban have caused confusion for many patients looking to access reproductive health care.
But although Missouri’s trigger ban outlaws nearly all abortion, patients still have a right to services like birth control, emergency contraception, fertility treatment and procedures in the case of a medical emergency.
Patients seeking an abortion might find care in states like Kansas or Illinois, where the procedure is still legal. In Kansas, the procedure is legal up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. There are multiple area abortion clinics within driving distance of Kansas City.
Here’s a breakdown of what we know about how the ban has impacted care in the state and how patients can access the services they need.
Where can I get an abortion if I am a Missouri resident?
There are five Kansas clinics that provide abortion care — and three are near the Kansas City area:
Wyandotte Health Center of Kansas City, Kansas
6013 Leavenworth Rd, Kansas City, Kansas
913-222-2308.
Planned Parenthood Comprehensive Health Center
4401 W. 109th St, Overland Park
913-345-1400
4840 College Boulevard, Overland Park
913-491-6878
5107 E. Kellogg Dr, Wichita
316-260-6934
Planned Parenthood Wichita Health Center
2226 E. Central Ave, Wichita316-263-7575
If you’re able to drive as far as Illinois to get an abortion, other clinics at a similar distance in Iowa and Nebraska can also serve Missouri residents.
Those clinics include:
Planned Parenthood’s Rosenfield Health Center of Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa
Planned Parenthood’s Council Bluffs Health Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa
CARE- Clinics for Abortion and Reproductive Excellence in Bellevue, Nebraska
Planned Parenthood’s Lincoln South Health Center in Lincoln, Nebraska
Although Missouri law prohibits health care providers from providing telemedicine abortion care, Missouri residents can still access telehealth care from Kansas. Telehealth abortions are performed using abortion medication: a combination of the FDA-approved drugs mifepristone and misoprostol.
Missouri’s trigger ban law does not prohibit pregnant individuals from seeking or receiving telemedicine abortion care — it just prevents Missouri doctors from providing it. Learn more about accessing a medication abortion here.
What are crisis pregnancy centers?
When looking for care, patients should be aware that clinics that perform abortions and crisis pregnancy centers are not the same thing.
A crisis pregnancy center is an organization that offers advice and resources related to pregnancy, but does not recommend, refer or provide abortions. This can be confusing because some centers advertise services like “free abortion and abortion pill education.”
Some of these centers provide pregnancy tests and supplies for new parents, like diapers and baby clothes. They may require clients to attend classes or workshops in order to obtain these free items. These classes can include religious elements, as many centers are affiliated with religious groups.
Examples of these centers in the Kansas City area include the Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic and Birthrite Kansas City.
Where can I go for legal or medical advice regarding a medication abortion?
Experts advise talking with your doctor or another health care provider. Additionally, the organization If/When/How runs a free and confidential legal helpline for questions about reproductive health care. The helpline can offer advice about your specific situation in your state, including your options if you’re under 18 years old. You can contact the helpline directly by calling 844-868-2812.
If you have questions for a doctor before, during or after an abortion, you can call or text the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline at 833-246-2632. If you prefer to text, you can connect with the Ally chatbot securely over WhatsApp at 833-221-2559.
How much do abortions cost?
Abortion during the first trimester can cost a patient up to $800 out of pocket, according to Planned Parenthood. Although clinics can offer cheaper rates for the procedure, people who are under or uninsured should be prepared to pay for their procedure.
The procedure gets more expensive further along in pregnancy. An abortion can cost up to $2,000 in the second trimester. One way to offset the cost of an abortion is by applying for assistance through an abortion fund.
What is an abortion fund?
Broadly speaking, an abortion fund is a pool of money intended to be spent on abortion procedures and related services for people seeking abortions, including transportation to a state that provides abortions.
These nonprofit, donation-driven groups help patients make and pay for abortion appointments, navigate state laws and restrictions on the procedure, coordinate travel and lodging for patients who need to seek care far from home and more.
The National Network of Abortion Funds lists these locally-based funds that provide money to Missouri and Kansas patients:
Midwest Access Coalition (both states)
Right by You (Missouri)
The best way to learn about how to access funds is to contact a specific organization directly. In most cases, the organization will assess your needs and might also ask for some demographic and contact information.
Some, like the Kansas and Missouri Abortion Funds, might work directly with health care providers. That means patients can’t call these funds themselves to get financial assistance, but the clinic performing their abortion can reach out on their behalf.
Others, like the Midwest Access Coalition, prefer to hear directly from patients needing assistance. This Chicago-based group helps patients from around the Midwest travel for abortion appointments. You can contact the group by calling 847-750-6224 or emailing support@midwestaccesscoalition.org.
The most reliable way to get abortion fund assistance is to tell your abortion provider that you need help paying for the procedure and other expenses. A patient navigator may be able to step in and connect you with the resources you need.
Where can you get birth control and emergency contraception in Missouri?
Clinics like Planned Parenthood are still providing birth control in Missouri the same way they were before the abortion ban was in place. Emergency contraceptives like Plan B are also still available on shelves around Kansas City.
The Missouri Family Health Council, which offers family planning services to Missouri residents, began mailing out free birth control kits to Missouri residents in June. The free kits include two “morning-after pills” and condoms.
Those interested in a kit need to fill out a short questionnaire with their address, name and consent. The kits are mailed within five to seven days of the request – no insurance is needed. The form is completely confidential, and the package will arrive with no indication of what is inside. Patients can request a kit by visiting here.
