Abortion

Yes. Abortion access is legal in Utah up to 18 weeks of pregnancy and available at Planned Parenthood of Utah health centers. To make an appointment, call 1-800-230-PLAN or go to www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-utah  

The cost of an abortion depends on many factors, including the location of the medical provider and the type of procedure. Generally, a clinic-based abortion will cost between $500 and $2,500.

Most abortions are not covered by private health insurance or Medicaid. Some private insurance policies will cover the cost of an abortion to protect the life or health of the pregnant person or in situations involving rape or incest. A smaller number of insurers will cover abortions based on fetal abnormalities. Utah Medicaid will pay for abortions only when the life of the pregnant person is threatened, or in cases of rape or incest. As a result, most abortions are not covered by health insurance and people pay out-of-pocket for their care.  

Two abortion bans passed by the Utah Legislature in recent years have been temporarily blocked by the courts from taking effect until the constitutionality of the laws are fully considered by the judicial system. As a result, abortion access is legal in Utah up to 18 weeks of pregnancy and available at Planned Parenthood Association of Utah health centers. To make an appointment, call 1-800-230-PLAN or go to www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-utah  

The Utah Abortion Fund provides confidential financial and logistical support (including travel costs and accommodation) for people seeking abortion care in states where it is legal. Follow the instructions on how to contact them at www.utabortionfund.org. For a list of national organizations that support people seeking abortion care, and for organizations located in other states, go to the National Abortion Fund at www.abortionfunds.org 

A medication abortion, also called the “abortion pill,” is a procedure that involves taking two different medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, to end a pregnancy. Mifepristone interrupts the pregnancy’s attachment to the uterine lining by blocking the progesterone hormone. Misoprostol expels the pregnancy by producing heavy uterine cramping. Typically, the first medication (mifepristone) is given at a clinic. The second medication (misoprostol) is taken at home where the abortion is completed. You can take the abortion pill up to 11 weeks after the first day of your last period. If you’re past 11 weeks, you may be able to get surgical or in-clinic abortion. 

A surgical or “in-clinic” abortion is a procedure using instruments and suction to end a pregnancy. There are different types of surgical abortions depending on how far along the pregnancy is. Suction abortion is used up to 14-16 weeks after the first day of the last period. Dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortions are performed for pregnancies over 16 weeks. The surgical abortion procedure is performed in a clinic or hospital, sometimes with sedation or pain medication.  Both medication and surgical abortion procedures are safe and effective.

Yes. Both in-clinic and medication abortions are very safe. In fact, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures in the world. Overall, about 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.