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How to Access Abortion in Wisconsin:
A Guide
The first step is to know that you are never alone. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the United States who choose to access abortion for any number of reasons, all are valid. We all know someone who has had an abortion, whether we know it or not. There are people here to help you, even if you do not have the financial means to afford an abortion on your own. Many of these organizations are listed below.
Since September of 2023, abortion is legal in Wisconsin up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. There are clinics that provide abortion in Milwaukee, Madison, and Sheboygan, and there are multiple ways for people to access safe abortion both in and out of the clinic. For more information, see this link to FAQs on the legality of abortion in Wisconsin from Planned Parenthood Wisconsin.
If, at any point in this process, you encounter any legal issues, or have any legal questions contact the Repro Legal Helpline. You can call (844) 868-2812 or complete their secure form. This is a free and confidential resource. They can answer questions about your specific situation and advise you on the best next steps.
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How a person will access abortion depends on the situation that they are in. Some important factors are as follows:
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Age: if a person is under the age of 18 they must receive parental consent to have an abortion. If this is not an option for the pregnant person, they can seek a judicial bypass. There are resources to help young people seek a judicial bypass. For more information about your options, contact the Repro Legal Helpline.
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Stage of Pregnancy: if the pregnant person is farther along in their pregnancy, they will not be able to have a medication abortion. This means that to get an abortion they will need to travel either to Milwaukee or Dane Counties or out of state for an in-clinic abortion. For more information about what an in-clinic abortion can look like, see this link to Planned Parenthood's information page.
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Location: There are ways to access safe medication abortion through the mail. If the person is at a stage in their pregnancy that this is an option they then do not need to worry about location. Location is a consideration if the person is either (1) far along enough that they need an in-clinic abortion, or (2) they feel more comfortable visiting a clinic. In these situations, travel may be necessary if they live outside of Milwaukee or Madison.
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Find a clinic or an abortion mail service: once the pregnant person has considered their situation they can start by either locating a clinic or finding a service that provides abortion pills by mail.
To find a clinic: look at abortionfinder.org this site provides prospective patients with access to all the in-person abortion clinics in their region.
ineedana.com is another reliable resource for finding an abortion clinic.
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The clinics it will list will either be in Milwaukee, Madison, Sheboygan or out of state, but it will still show you the closest one to your zip code.
For medication abortion through the mail: There are services that provide access to safe medication abortion in all 50 states. Plan C offers ways for parents to get safe abortion pills through the mail
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Plan C offers a number of options for how a patient might gain access to abortion pills. They also have resources for patients to learn more about the medication so that they are prepared.
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Red State Access is a great service that can help patients learn about pills through the mail. They provide much helpful information about the reality of safe abortion through the mail.
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Importantly, Red State Access provides information about how to have a medication abortion with both Misoprostol and Mifepristone and Miso-only procedures.
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Beware of Crisis Pregnancy Centers! These fake clinics, also called CPCs, are typically associated with Christian religious organizations and will attempt to trick pregnant people into keeping their pregnancies. They usually have people posing as doctors and nurses. You can visit this page for more general information about CPCs.
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Review THIS PAGE for more information about CPCs. There are around 80 CPCs in Wisconsin.
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Crisis Pregnancy Center Map shows a list of known CPCs. See this link for a map displaying known CPCs in Wisconsin to ensure that your clinic is not a CPC.
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Funding an abortion: if the pregnant person can afford the abortion on their own then this step can be skipped. But because abortions, especially in-clinic abortions, can be expensive, there are resources for people who need help paying for abortion care. There are abortion funds in Wisconsin, the midwest, and at the national level that can help cover the cost of abortion. Here are some options:
Abortion Funds Serving Wisconsin:
WMF Wisconsin
The Women’s Medical Fund of Wisconsin provides patinets with options and, in some cases, they can help with the cost of abortion care. They serve the entire state of Wisconsin.
Abortion Funds in Surrounding states:
These abortion funds have pledged to help people in states where abortion is illegal, like Wisconsin. These funds may be the best option for someone living close to the state's border.
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National Abortion funds:
National abortion funds serve people across the United States. Importantly, they can connect patients to local funds and support groups.
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Get Support: Abortion can be an emotional experience for many. If a pregnant person wishes for additional support they may want to seek out an abortion doula. Abortion doulas are people trained to provide emotional support during an abortion. They can be helpful during both at-home medication abortions and in-clinic procedures. Pregnancy Options Wisconsin has a network of doulas. See this link to learn more about doula services in your area.
Wisconsin Abortion Support Network: WASN is a network of trained doulas working in Wisconsin. Doulas are trained to support pregnant people and their communities before, during, or after their abortions. See their website for more information about how to get connected with a doula.
POWERS: The cost of a doula depends on the service. Some doulas offer care on a sliding scale depending on the patient's ability to pay. Visit Pregnancy Options Wisconsin for more information.