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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Indiana lawmakers say Indiana's near-total abortion ban went into effect Thursday.
The ban restricts abortion in cases of rape and incest.
"Even in cases of rape and incest, women will only have 10 weeks to seek abortion care which will now be much more difficult to access. This will only worsen Indiana’s maternal mortality rate which is already the 3rd worst in the country," Sen. Breaux said in a statement Thursday.
The Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) announced it expanded the Champaign health center to increase access for Central Illinois and Indiana women seeking abortions.
The location at 302 E. Stoughton has been renovated in order to add in-clinic abortion services, PPIL said in a release Thursday.
"We anticipated Indiana residents losing access to abortion care, so we decided to expand our care in Champaign," said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois. "Indiana’s draconian abortion ban does not stop people from having abortions, it only makes it more difficult for people to access abortion in a safe and timely manner."
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The expansion also increases the health center’s footprint by 5,000 square feet, adding additional procedure rooms, waiting rooms, education/consultation rooms, ultrasound rooms, a recovery room, a lab, and a clinician's office.
Since Roe fell, the Champaign health center has seen abortion patients from 11 states outside of Illinois with the largest number of patients coming from Indiana because of the proximity to the state.
Currently, 11 percent of the abortion patients seen at the Champaign health center are from Indiana. This number is expected to increase now that the Indiana abortion ban is in effect.
"The legislature should have worked on improving access to birth control to help improve family planning, funding doula services so that women have more support during pregnancy and supporting families with investments in childcare rather than banning abortion," Sen. Breaux said.
In addition to abortion care, patients coming from Indiana are also seeking gender-affirming care and other reproductive and family planning services, PPIL said.
Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill on Aug. 5 making Indiana the first state to approve an abortion ban after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
"I am personally most proud of each Hoosier who came forward to courageously share their views in a debate that is unlikely to cease any time soon," Gov. Eric Holcomb said in the statement announcing that he had signed the measure. "For my part as your governor, I will continue to keep an open ear."
His approval came after the Indiana Senate approved the ban 28-19 and the House members advanced it 62-38.