Abortions are illegal in the state of Tennessee with a few narrow exceptions. For pregnant people who do not qualify for those exceptions, leaving the state is a legal and safe option.

Choices is an abortion clinic located in Carbondale, Illinois. It is a three hour, 200 mile drive from Nashville. They offer abortion care to out state patients by appointment only. Their phone number is 618-300-6017 and their website is yourchoices.org.

Choices performs abortions by appointment only and will require that patients show ID when arriving for their appointment.

When a patient calls to make an appointment, they will be asked to provide a name and date of birth along with some demographic information. They may be asked for their marital status but an answer is not required. You are not required to provide a physical or email address.

Patients will also be asked how far along they are in your pregnancy. This can be answered by giving a date for your last period. If you’re unsure as to the exact date, you will be asked to procure an ultrasound before your appointment.

It is extremely important that patients are honest about their last period and get an ultrasound if it is requested. The progression of the pregnancy will determine the abortion care that is needed and administering care in the wrong form can lead to serious medical complications.

Choices performs abortions via medication up to 10 weeks and 6 days. After that point, a surgical abortion would be needed and this can be performed up to 14 weeks and 6 days into the pregnancy. Other clinics in Illinois may have different timelines but this will vary by clinic & later term abortions may require a longer recovery period before travelling.

An abortion in Illinois is a single day process. Patients can expect to be able to drive themselves home or ride home the same day after a medication abortion. Patients can expect to be able to ride home the same day after a surgical abortion, though they won’t be able to drive themselves if they choose to take anesthesia for the procedure. If you’re expecting to undergo a surgical abortion, it’s a good idea to have another person with you who can drive you home.

Choices can only speak with the patient themselves when scheduling or discussing an abortion appointment. All information collected by Choices for the appointment is confidential and can only be seen by those at the clinic. Some information may need to be shared with funding organizations if financial assistance is needed, but this information is limited and will be discussed beforehand.

Though not necessary, a patient may choose to spend the night in Illinois. There are a number of funding organizations which can help patients with everything including travel expenses, cost of the actual procedure, and any other costs associated with receiving out of state abortion care.

Choices will help you navigate this funding system by asking for your monthly income after expenses and working with funding groups to adjust your out of pocket costs accordingly. Patients aren’t required to show any specific paperwork pertaining to their financial situation.

Patients will be provided with an information packet which includes an emergency contact number for patients to call in the event of a complication following the procedure.

Currently, those under the age of 18 CAN receive abortion care in the state of Illinois without the knowledge or consent of a legal guardian. A 2023 law passed by the Tennessee State Government prohibiting this is currently being blocked by federal courts, meaning it is unenforceable. As of now, there is no legal difference in the abortion care available to pregnant patients, regardless of their age. If this changes, this article will be updated to reflect the new reality.

Self-administered medication abortions are illegal in the state of Tennessee. They can carry some medical complications and are not recommended if receiving care from professionals at a licensed clinic is an option. However, abortion medications can be procured by mail. More information can be found at I Need An A as well as Plan C Pills.