Pregnancy Options

Wondering about options someone has when they are pregnant? Looking for resources for parents? All of that information is below!

Pregnancy Options

If someone is pregnant and does not want to be a parent, they have options. They can decide to continue the pregnancy and place the baby for adoption or end the pregnancy by having an abortion.

You have the right to make decisions for yourself! You are the best person to decide what is right for you. It can be helpful to talk to an adult you trust about your options; if you want some ideas about how to do that, see the button below.

Need a pregnancy test?

If you need pregnancy testing, you can get a pregnancy test to do at home from a pharmacy, like CVS or Walgreens. You can also go to a clinic to get a pregnancy test if you want support with the test or more information about your options if you are pregnant. 

Click below to find a directory of health services in Chicago that can help you locate services near you. Enter your location and then search with keywords for “pregnancy test” to find providers near you. You can also filter results to find free clinics.

Thinking about different options?

Considering all your options

If you're not sure whether being a parent is the right decision for you, Planned Parenthood has ideas to help you think it through. You can also make an appointment at Planned Parenthood to learn more about all your options and get support making a decision.

Need to talk?

If you want to talk about your decision, All Options Pregnancy Resource Center can help you think about your options over the phone at 1-888-493-0092.

Your rights

Whatever someone chooses, they have rights. Learn more about someone’s rights in different situations in Illinois.

What is abortion?

An abortion is a medical process when a pregnancy is intentionally ended. Abortions are LEGAL in all 50 states and are very SAFE. There are different types of abortions: medication abortions and in-clinic abortions. Depending on the number of weeks since someone's last period, different types of abortions may be available or not.

A medication abortion is when someone takes medicines to end a pregnancy. Typically, someone will take two pills with two different medicines. A care provider will give both medicines and detailed directions about how to take ahead of time.  An in-clinic abortion works by using suction to empty the uterus, which removes a pregnancy.

Find an abortion provider in Chicago

This a directory of health services in Chicago that can help you locate services near you. Enter your location, select browse by category, select Family Planning and Pregnancy, and select Abortion Counseling and Services.

Need help paying for an abortion?

Chicago Abortion Fund helps people pay for abortions when they need it. If you need assistance paying for an abortion, fill out their online form or call their confidential help line at 312-663-0338 Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm.

Need help paying for transportation or housing?

The Midwest Access Coalition helps pay for transportation to abortion clinics, housing, childcare during the procedure, & more. Call 847-750-6224 or email support@midwestaccesscoalition.org.

What is adoption?

Adoption is when someone chooses to carry their pregnancy fully, gives birth, and voluntarily gives up their parental rights to the child. This means the person who carried the pregnancy does not have legal rights to the child and is not responsible for parenting the child once the adoption is complete. 

There are different types of adoption: open, where the birth parent’s identity is known and they may or may not be a part of the child’s life, and closed, where the birth parent’s identity is not shared with the child, and they have no relationship with the child.

Get more information

To learn more about adoption in Illinois, call the Illinois Adoption Registry Toll-Free at 1-877-323-5299 or the Adoption Support Line at 888-962-3678, or click the button below!

Adoption Center of Illinois

The Adoption Center of Illinois is an adoption organization that can help you decide if adoption is the right choice for you and can help you find an adoptive family. You can talk to them for free by calling 1-800-676-2229, texting 1-872-588-0757, or emailing information@adoptillinois.org.

The Cradle

The Cradle is an adoption organization that can help you decide if adoption is the right choice for you and can help you find an adoptive family. You can talk to one of their confidential counselors for free by calling 1-800-272-3534, texting 1-312-800-1559, or messaging them on their website.

Find an adoption coordinator

This is a directory of health services in Chicago that can help you locate services near you. Enter your location, select browse by category, select Family Planning and Pregnancy, and select Adoption Coordination and Services to see a map of adoption coordinators and their locations.

What are Safe Haven laws?

Under the Illinois Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act, infants 30 days old or younger can be given to staff at a safe haven. Safe havens are:

  • Fire stations

  • Police stations

  • Hospitals

  • Emergency care facilities

The person who gives the infant to safe haven staff does not have to give their name and will not get in trouble or face legal consequences as long as the infant has not been harmed. They will also no longer have parental rights. The baby will get medical care and placed for adoption.

You can learn more by visiting the websites below or calling the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation’s confidential, 24/7 hotline at 888-150-2229.

Parenting Support

If you are a parent, are going to become one, or are considering parenthood as an option, there are many resources to support you in making your decision and taking care of your young one! You deserve to have all the resources you need to be happy and healthy while parenting, and your young person deserves to be happy and healthy, too.

Prenatal Care & Education

Prenatal care is the medical care that supports people in staying healthy during pregnancy. Prenatal education includes all sorts of education someone might get before giving birth.

Find a care provider

Pregnant people should see a special doctor, called an obstetrician or an OB/GYN, who can help them stay healthy during pregnancy. This a directory of health services in Chicago that can help you locate services near you. Enter your location, search by keyword, and search for “prenatal care.”

Get insured

Illinois offers two health insurance programs specifically for pregnant people that are meant to help someone get the medical care they need while pregnant.

Prenatal classes and services

This a directory of health services in Chicago that can help you locate services near you. Enter your location, select browse by category, and select Family Planning and Pregnancy. Then you can select breastfeeding support, childbirth classes, and new parents assistance.

New Moms Prenatal Support Group

New Moms prenatal support groups are open to anyone ages 24 and under. They provide participants a supportive and encouraging environment to prepare for the birth of their baby and becoming a parent.

Doula & Birth Worker Services

A doula or birth worker is a person who is trained to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant person before, during, and after giving birth.

Chicago Volunteer Doulas

Chicago Volunteer Doulas provides doula services to people in Chicago making under $50,000/year.

Pilsen Wellness Center

Pilsen Wellness Center’s Doula Program pairs pregnant teenagers with a professionally trained mentor who supports them during the last trimester of pregnancy, childbirth, and into a newborn’s first few weeks.

New Moms Doula Services

New Moms is an organization that provides young people with a doula from 28 weeks pregnant through 6 weeks post birth, including during birth.

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