Abortion Access
YOUR Access to Common Contraceptive Options
Find the best contraceptive option(s) for you here
IUD (Intrauterine device) and Nexplanon (birth control implant)
You can get an IUD/ birth control implant for free through student wellness if you are actively enrolled in a program of study at UChicago
Step 1: log in to my.WellnessPortal and schedule an appointment for “Birth Control or IUD Consult”
Step 2: a provider from student wellness will meet with you to go over contraceptive options and issue a referral to UChicago Medicine (the UChicago hospital on the edge of campus) for an IUD, birth control implant, birth control pill, or other contraceptives requiring provider issue/assistance. (You need the referral to schedule an appointment at UChicago Medicine to get the contraceptive you need.)
Step 3: Call UChicago Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology (773-702-6118) to schedule your IUD insertion/ Nexplanon implantation (or other) appointment
Note: the next available appointment at UChicago Medicine may be in a few weeks to a few months
Step 4: show up to your appointment at UChicago Medicine!
You can get an IUD/ birth control implant for free or at low cost through the following institutions
Planned Parenthood Illinois (PPIL)
Make an appointment via phone at a PPIL Health Center. Locations closest to campus are in Englewood (773-434-4700) and Loop (312-592-6700). Most health insurance plans should completely or at least partially cover birth control (read more here), but always call your insurance provider after you schedule your appointment to make sure. If you realize that you cannot afford your IUD/ implant, you can always cancel your appointment and look for an alternative healthcare resource you can afford (e.g. UChicago student wellness). However, planned parenthood does charge on a sliding scale (the more your income, the more you will be charged for services), which should make getting contraception at PPIL an affordable option.
You can also get an IUD insertion/ Nexplanon implantation at the Ryan Center through a referral from student wellness. The Ryan Center also charges on a sliding scale if you choose to schedule an appointment directly via phone. Check with your insurance provider for any out of pocket costs.
If you already have an IUD inserted, you can schedule your IUD string check appointment for free on my.WellnessPortal.
You can apply for financial assistance if necessary for your implantation/insertion procedure at UChicago Medicine
Prescription contraceptive options (oral birth control, birth control patch, etc.)
You can get a prescription for contraceptives such as the birth control pill or patch by making an appointment on my.WellnessPortal for “Birth Control or IUD Consult”. A provider at student wellness can prescribe the necessary contraceptive for pickup at a pharmacy. Your insurance should cover most brands and types of prescription birth control, but you can always check with your insurance provider first and your medical provider can help you choose the most affordable option.
You can also make a virtual (or in person) appointment online or via phone at PPIL for the same services.
Pharmacies near campus: CVS and CVS in Target on E 53rd St. and Jewel-Osco on S Cottage Grove Ave.
Condom
If you live in a UChicago dorm, your house should have free condoms and 10 mL lube packets available in the hallways, bathrooms, and/or house lounges. But these supplies are not always refilled when used up and there have been incidents of students who are against birth control stealing school provided condoms and lube to dispose of them.
Free condoms and lube packets are also available at the student wellness clinic area (840 East 59th St. Suite L1100 Chicago IL, 60637).
Locations near campus that sell condoms: CVS and Target on E 53rd Street and Jewel-Osco on S Cottage Grove Ave
YOUR Access to Emergency Contraceptives
Take this test to find the best emergency contraceptive for you
Emergency contraceptive pills
The Levonorgestrel pill comes in multiple name brands such as Plan B, Aftera, and My Way and are available at the family planning sections or over the pharmacy counters at CVS, Target, and Jewel-Osco. Prices can range from around $30 to $50 depending on the brand and location sold. Often the pills are put inside a locked box or cabinet and you would have to ask a store employee to open it for you. (They won’t judge you. They see this all the time. If they judge you they have no right to.)
The Ella is only available via prescription, which you can get by scheduling an appointment with student wellness or Planned Parenthood then pick up your prescription at a pharmacy. Student wellness recommends that you schedule an appointment early in the morning to ensure you can get a virtual appointment on the same day, so you can receive your Ella prescription asap.
Some IUDs can be used as an emergency contraceptive then kept as a contraceptive. However, there may not be readily available IUD insertion appointments, so it might be a better idea to take an emergency contraceptive pill asap then getting an IUD inserted within five days of unprotected sex.
Funding for emergency contraceptives may be obtained through the UChicago Center for College Student Success
Instructions for applying for emergency funding from the Office of the Bursar
The Emergency Fund is a student-led organization providing grants for UChicago students in need.
Applications for funding/grants can take up to weeks, so in the case of emergency contraception, it is best if you can front the money yourself and then apply to be paid back. You can email the Center for College Student Success for a faster grant.
YOUR Access to Pregnancy and STI Testing
Blood and urine pregnancy and STI tests are available for free at student wellness. Call 773-834-9355 or make an appointment online to see a provider who should request the necessary tests. STI testing appointments can be scheduled under “Gynecology” as well as “STI Clinics and Services” for those assigned female at birth. Pregnancy testing appointments can be scheduled under “Medical”- “Gynecology”- “possible pregnancy”. Your results will be available on my.WellnessPortal a few hours to days following your testing appointment. If your results come out positive, your provider from student wellness may reach out to schedule a follow up appointment regarding your options going forward.
Pregnancy and STI tests and other reproductive health related services are also available at these locations near campus.
Over the counter at home pregnancy tests are available at CVS, Target, and Jewel-Osco. It is best to schedule a pregnancy test with a medical provider to double or triple check your at home test results if necessary.
YOUR Access to Abortion
Read about the types of abortion and when you can have them here
Here is a list of clinics that can give you an abortion/refer you to a location that provides abortion services
You can go through student wellness to obtain a referral to UChicago Medicine/the Ryan Center for an abortion. Make an appointment at 773-834-9355 or on my.WellnessPortal under “Medical”- “Gynecology”-”possible pregnancy”-”pregnancy”. While the Ryan Center is unable to publish information on their policies regarding USHIP and other insurance plans, they will provide information on the associated costs when you schedule an appointment with them at 773-834-9995. The costs are anticipated to be minimal if not zero.
Note: It may be helpful to schedule with multiple providers and inquire about associated costs to ensure you have an appointment, then cancel the ones you don’t need after choosing the best/most affordable option for you. If you do not have insurance or your insurance does not cover or cover enough for your abortion to make it affordable to you, PPIL may be a more affordable option as they charge on a sliding scale. You can apply for funding from the UChicago Center for College Student Success and the resources listed on their website under “Financial Support”. If you are receiving abortion care from UChicago Medicine/Ryan Center, you can apply to the UChicago Medicine FInancial Assistance Program for a lower cost.
Here are some useful resources if you are seeking or considering seeking an abortion
Planned Parenthood can help you determine the best type of abortion for you. Under “Find a health center”, select “abortion” under “services”, enter your zip code (Chicago, IL 60637), your age and the first day of your last period, and click “find abortion provider”. You will see the types of abortion you can get and a list of abortion providers near you with the types of abortion they offer.
Beware of “crisis pregnancy centers”!!! These are fake abortion clinics, often religiously affiliated, posing as reliable medical providers to dissuade you from getting the abortion or contraception you need/want via scare tactics, guilt tripping, withholding information on your comprehensive contraception/abortion options, etc. You can use this website to check if the abortion provider of your choice is a verified provider and not a so-called “crisis pregnancy center”.
Your parent/guardian does not have to know about your abortion. If you share an insurance plan with your parent/guardian and do not want them to know about your abortion or any contraceptives under insurance, call your insurance provider and explicitly request that your coverage be hidden from your parent/guardian and that the EOB (Explanation of benefits, a document stating the service you got under insurance, the date, insurance coverage, and out of pocket costs for that service) be sent only to you (your email) and that it is not visible to your parent/guardian on their insurance portal. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself!
Support Reproductive Justice and Care!
This article is written in association with PRF (Project Reproductive Freedom), a UChicago RSO dedicated to promoting reproductive justice on campus and beyond! If you are interested in learning more about reproductive justice and care and are passionate about ameliorating current issues in reproductive justice, please check us out here, on instagram, and at the RSO fair, and join our mailing list and attend our meetings and events!
Look into the volunteer opportunities listed below and/or donate to an abortion fund near you (we recommend CAF)!
Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) has a few different volunteer opportunities: students can volunteer on the hotline, host fundraisers (PRF fundraises for CAF every spring), follow up with grant recipients, complete data entry, and assist in special event coordination. Interested students should fill out this google form and sign up for a 20-minute screening call.
Become a clinic escort (or other volunteer) for Planned Parenthood
Abortion Access Fronts publishes a huge variety of events that people can attend to support abortion access. Here is the Illinois-specific calendar.
Normalizing and destigmatizing contraception and abortion starts with you! It’s okay if you are unable to commit to a volunteer role. What matters is that you help spread information about access to reproductive care and support your friends, family, and those around you when they seek reproductive care.
