How to navigate Florida's six-week abortion ban
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
While the new six-week ban is Florida's toughest abortion restriction in more than 50 years, there are still options for Floridians seeking the procedure.
The big picture: Time is of the essence, reproductive health care providers told Axios.
- Have pregnancy tests on hand, and call your doctor if you think you're pregnant.
- Reproductive health clinics like Planned Parenthood can also help if you don't have a regular doctor. Search for an abortion clinic near you using Florida Health Finder.
If you're at or under six weeks: Abortion is still legal, and your doctor or clinician can walk you through the next steps.
If you're over six weeks: Florida's Planned Parenthood clinics are staffed with patient navigators who may be able to help you coordinate care in states with looser restrictions, such as Illinois, Maryland and North Carolina.
- Abortion-by-mail is another potential option. That would involve medication abortion, which typically involves taking two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol.
- The regimen can be safely used up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- While the six-week law effectively bans the practice, some telehealth providers told the Tampa Bay Times they plan to continue mailing abortion pills to Florida with protection from "shield laws" in other states.
- Resources like ineedana.com and the National Abortion Hotline can connect you with providers.
If you need financial help: Florida has five abortion funds that may be able to help pay for the procedure itself or for travel and practical costs such as child care associated with getting an abortion in another state.
- Florida-based funds are the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, Florida Access Network, Women's Emergency Network, Emergency Medical Assistance and Broward Women's Emergency Fund.
- There are also regional and national abortion funds that serve Floridians. You can use the National Network of Abortion Funds' lookup tool to get a full list of options.