If you are under 18 you have the right to make many decisions about your own reproductive health in Illinois. Find more information and resources below.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: youthrepro@aclu-il.org.
You have three options — you can:
Remember that choosing which of these options is right for you is your decision to make. No one can force you to make a decision you don’t want to — not even your parent, guardian or your sexual partner.
Who you decide to talk with about this decision is up to you. You may choose to talk about your options with your partner, parents, relatives, friends, health care provider, or religious leader if you feel safe and comfortable doing so.
If you are having a hard time finding someone you feel comfortable talking to or feel like you just want additional support, the All-Options Talkline provides a confidential space for you to talk about your feelings about your pregnancy. They offer judgement-free support, no matter what you decide to do.
Once the baby is born, you will have full parental rights and responsibility for your child.
For more information about pregnancy and parenting and to locate resources near you: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/onechifam/home.html.
You can find more information about your adoption options from these resources:
Yes, if you are under 18 and pregnant, you have the right to consent to and make your own decisions about your prenatal care and care during labor and delivery. This includes decisions about how to give birth such as whether to get an epidural or do a c-section. You do not need your parents’ involvement or permission to receive this care. No one can force you to receive or to decline particular care during your labor and delivery against your own wishes.
For more resources about staying healthy during pregnancy: https://www2.illinois.gov/hfs/MedicalClients/MaternalandChildHealth/Pages/healthy_births.aspx.
Yes, abortion is legal for all people in Illinois.
You do not need a parent's or guardian's permission to get an abortion in Illinois.
You do not need to tell your parents or anyone else about your abortion unless you want to.
Starting June 1, 2022, the Parental Notice of Abortion Act is no longer the law in Illinois. People under 18 have the same rights as adults to decide who to tell about their abortion.
You can find abortion providers near you through the following websites:
Unfortunately, yes. There are some places known as “crisis pregnancy centers” (also called CPCs or “pregnancy resource centers”). They are set up to look like real health clinics, but they have a mission to scare, shame or pressure you out of getting an abortion.
Crisis pregnancy centers don’t actually provide abortion, and they won’t give you accurate and unbiased facts about sexual health and your pregnancy options.
Some signs that a clinic might be a crisis pregnancy center include:
Yes, you can confirm whether a place is one of these fake clinics by checking on the following websites:
Yes — you can either get a medication abortion (also called the “abortion pill”) or a surgical abortion (also called “in-clinic” or “procedural” abortion).
If you get your health insurance through the Illinois Medicaid program (i.e. you have an HFS “medical card”), then you should be able to use it to fully cover the cost of your abortion confidentially without any information being revealed to your family.
If you get your health insurance through your parent’s or other family members’ job, or your parent or family member buys health insurance for you, you cannot use this insurance confidentially. In this situation, if you do not want your parent or other family member to know about your abortion, you should not use your health insurance to cover the cost of the abortion or any related care.
Your medical provider may be able to give you more information about which types of insurance will keep your abortion confidential and which types may inform your family if you use them for your abortion.
There are organizations that can help to reduce the cost of your abortion. When speaking with these organizations, it is important to let them know that you are under 18 and cannot use your health insurance to pay for your abortion because you have concerns about your confidentiality. Let them know that you have limited income and need the abortion costs to be reduced as much as possible so that it is affordable for you.
The Midwest Access Coalition (MAC) assists with the logistical costs and difficulties associated with getting an abortion. This includes:
Contact the Midwest Access Coalition:
There is no right or wrong way to feel after having an abortion—whatever feelings you have are valid.
Exhale is an organization addressing the emotional health and well-being of people after having an abortion. Exhale offers a free textline that provides emotional support, resources, and information. All texts are completely confidential and counselors offer support and respect without judgment. The Exhale textline is available to individuals who have had abortions, and to their partners, friends, allies, and family members.
No, you do not need permission from your parent or guardian to get birth control in Illinois. You can use the following resources to locate places that should provide confidential birth control services if you don’t feel safe or comfortable with involving a parent or guardian:
Emergency contraception (also called EC or “Plan B”) is a form of contraception that a person can take up to 120 hours after sex to prevent a pregnancy before it starts.
You do not need your parents’ permission to access EC if you are under 18; there are a number of brands of EC you can purchase over the counter at the pharmacy without a prescription or proof of your age. The price of EC varies depending on the pharmacy and brand, but in general, EC costs between $35 and $60.
We are so sorry that you experienced this—please know, you are not alone. There are a number of different resources that offer help and support to survivors of sexual assault: