Aug. 26 took on a double meaning this year as not just the 102nd anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment guaranteeing a woman’s right to vote, but also a day to call attention to the health care limitations since the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to a legal abortion.
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) who represents Homewood and Flossmoor in Congress, came to the Planned Parenthood of Illinois facility in Flossmoor on Friday to mark Women’s Health Day of Action. Kelly said she wanted to call attention to the care the staff is giving to women seeking abortions from Illinois, as well as other states, and to remind the public about the many issues women face on the abortion issue and maternal health.
Kelly was joined by Cristina Villarreal, vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Illinois, who said the organization anticipated 20,000 to 30,000 out-of-state abortion patients annually “and the surge is already here. Just this month, Planned Parenthood Illinois saw more out-of-state abortion patients than ever before, and we expect those numbers to continue to rise.”
The Flossmoor facility is one of 17 Planned Parenthood facilities in the state. Since June, the number of abortion patients has tripled. The majority of the out-of-state patients are from Indiana, Villareal said.
The Supreme Court ‘s Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 said the Constitution gave women the right to an abortion. Kelly said the Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2022 that nullified that right and sent the question of abortion to the states “has set back women’s rights 50 years.”
She recalled serving on the Planned Parenthood board in Peoria, Illinois, in the 1980s.
“I am outraged that 40 years later we are right back here fighting for control of our bodies, fighting for the autonomy to make decisions about our own health, fighting so that our sisters living in states less progressive than Illinois also have those rights,” she said.
“We need to spread the word that abortion is still safe and legal in Illinois. If you are not involved, I’m sending a message to get involved. The best way to do that is to share your own abortion stories to help eliminate the stigma and shame associated with this medical procedure, and to highlight the many reasons women choose to have an abortion. You don’t know what your story may mean to someone else,” the congresswoman said.
Kelly shared the story of a constituent, a 69-year-old retired nurse who in 1971 at age 17 had to find a doctor to perform an abortion. She thought everything went well, but days later she was hemorrhaging and had to find another doctor who would treat her.
She was a lucky one, but many other women, even today, lack the ability to access good medical care., Kelly said, noting states that are putting laws in place to restrict abortions also fail to provide care after a woman gives birth.
“We had an opportunity to close the Medicaid coverage gap (for maternal health) but it didn’t make it into the final reconciliation bill. We cannot forget these women and their access to health care. We also need 12 full months of post-partum health care coverage in every single state,” she said, adding that she did get the coverage included in the American Rescue Plan, but it’s only available for four years.
Illinois has extended Medicaid post-partum coverage.
“Across the country, Black women are disproportionately impacted by maternal morbidity and mortality. Nationally, Black women die from pregnancy related complications at two to three times the rate of white women, even when you control for education, income and employment status,” Kelly said, noting that many of the maternal deaths are preventable, “but we don’t have the right policies in place to protect families that are experiencing that tragedy.”
She is encouraged by the strong showing in recent elections for candidates who support a woman’s right to choose.
“Overall, I’m doing absolutely everything I can to protect women’s health care and I hope that you will do what you can, too,” Kelly said.