Surrounding states bracing for spike in demand as Iowa abortion ban set to take effect

Abortion providers are bracing for Iowa’s near total abortion ban to take effect on Monday.

In Illinois, the Chicago Abortion Fund, a group which provides referrals and funds to those seeking abortions, saw a 165 percent increase in support requests from patients in Iowa this month, it told The Washington Post.

“It’s staggering even to me,” the group’s executive director Megan Jeyifo said.

Last month, the Iowa Supreme Court lifted a hold on a 2023 state law, banning abortions in most cases after six weeks, after a lower court temporarily blocked the law.

The ban will now take effect Monday morning.

In preparation, Planned Parenthood told NBC News it’s expanding services in surrounding states like Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

“We are standing by ready to help patients receive access to care, even if that means traveling out of state,” Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said.

The Emma Goldman Clinic, based in Iowa City, said it will seek to support patients who need to travel out of state now for care.

“We will help those for whom we are unable to provide abortion services to navigate the logistics of seeking care in other states,” it said in a statement.”

Prior to the 2023 law, which contains exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and lethal risks to the mother, Iowa banned abortions after 22 weeks.

Abortions expected to drop 97 percent once the new law takes effect, according to Planned Parenthood.