UW-Madison health services seeks to help students following abortion ban

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - University Health Services on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is helping students find resources following the return of the abortion ban in Wisconsin, which makes any type of abortion, except for when a pregnant woman’s life is at risk, illegal. Now, UHS is trying to continue the mission staff the service always upheld: Helping students find the care they need for their health care decisions.

“We’ll help them navigate those in the same manner we have throughout the whole period before this decision was released; obviously, some choices are more complicated than they were in the past,” said executive director Jake Baggott.

Baggott says UHS will work with students to find the resources based on their decision, even if that means going to another state for care.

“And so options that are available, some of them aren’t the same in the state as they were before, and so we’ll help connect them to the options that they’re looking to explore,” said Baggot.

Other organizations are also willing to help, offering their resources to the uniquely impacted demographic. Students juggling tuition and classes who also become pregnant are thrown new costs along with health care needs. According to The American Journal of Public Health, women age 20 to 24 account for one-third of unintended pregnancies in the U.S. and 34% of abortions.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin says abortion services are suspended, but resources are still available.

“We’re encouraging people to contact planned parenthood of Wisconsin if they need an abortion because we can support them and help them navigate to other states,” said Tanya Atkinson.

And Pro-Life Wisconsin Communications Director Anna DeMeuse says the organization partners with community funds across the state for scholarship opportunities. She noted that Pregnancy Resource Center also offers free resources and classes.

“Pro-lifers for years have been funding these clinics, donating diapers, baby wipes, parenting classes, everything you need before, during, and after pregnancy,” said DeMeuse.

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