Planned Parenthood launched a tool that helps you find an abortion care provider near you
Planned Parenthood wants to make finding a reputable abortion care provider easier in all states, but especially in those where strict abortion laws have been passed within the last year. So, on Tuesday, November 12th, Planned Parenthood launched its “Abortion Care Finder” tool, which helps those in need find an appropriate health center based on a patient’s age, ZIP code, and first day of their last period.
The Abortion Care Finder is a more-detailed descendant of Planned Parenthood’s abortion access map, which shows in which states abortion is still legal and which states have severely restricted abortion access.
If, after using the Abortion Care Finder tool, a person finds they are more than 60 miles away from an abortion-providing Planned Parenthood, the site will recommend the user check out the National Abortion Federation map, which lists independent providers in each state.
As The New York Times notes, after the 2018 Supreme Court appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in 2019 alone, 26 anti-abortion bills were brought to the floor and/or passed in states across the country. The most detrimental of these bans is the popular “heartbeat bill” that outlaws abortions after a heartbeat is detected, which can sometimes be as early as six weeks from the first date of a person’s last period. Often, people do not even know they are pregnant until after six weeks have passed.
Georgia is one such state where the heartbeat bill is in effect. Alabama’s heartbeat bill is joined with a near-total ban on abortion that comes with a “no exceptions” clause for cases that involve rape or incest. The Alabama ban is currently blocked by a federal judge.
The Abortion Care Finder is especially timely following the closures of two Planned Parenthoods in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Both clinics shuttered their doors in September 2019 as a result of a new Trump administration policy, which blocks healthcare providers that refer patients for or perform abortions from receiving federal family planning grants.
To continue providing abortions, Planned Parenthood removed itself from the Title X grant program, from which they received about $60 million in federal funding. Not only is the war on abortion hurting those who need abortion services, but its also hurting those who count on Planned Parenthood and other clinics for reproductive and women’s health services.
Although Planned Parenthood locations in anti-abortion states remain in imminent danger, the healthcare provider stays dedicated to providing safe and accessible abortion services to those who need them. The Abortion Care Finder tool is the latest weapon Planned Parenthood has pulled out of its arsenal, and we—and so many others—are thankful that it continues to fight for the greater good.
