Where to go for information on reproductive health care in Michigan

The federal website reproductiverights.gov, which provided vital public information about reproductive health care, went dark shortly after President Donald Trump took the oath of office on Jan. 20, according to initial reporting from CBS News.

While the federal site appears to have been shut down, several state and national sites remain operational to provide patients with information they need in order to access reproductive care, including not just abortions but also services such as prenatal care, prescriptions for contraceptives, and cancer and STI screenings.

The federal site was launched in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to give information about the efficacy of the abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol, a list of states that banned or severely restricted abortion, and requirements that policies furnished by private insurance, employer-paid insurance, and the Affordable Care Act cover birth control.

The site additionally offered a list of clinics that provided breast and cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, and screenings for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, along with a section that provided information on abortion and contraceptive rights.

The Michigan Independent reached out to HHS about why and when the site was taken down but did not receive a response.

According to a 2023 survey of 1,150 women between the ages of 15 and 29 conducted by Power to Decide, an organization that provides information on sexual and reproductive health, 73% of respondents said that they did not know where to go to obtain an abortion “in the near future,” and 41% of those respondents reported they did not know how to find a clinic or health care provider.

Michigan

In Michigan, the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer directs residents to a site that explains insurance coverage for birth control and STI prevention and offers a list of clinics.

The state additionally offers a site that provides information on the state’s Family Planning Program, which provides reproductive health care to people at little or no cost based on their ability to pay. The site explains what the federal Title X program can provide to those who qualify financially and provides a list of family planning clinics and providers.

Online 

Power to Decide, a national organization, has two websites (Bedsider and AbortionFinder) that provide up-to-date information and vetted resources for sexual and reproductive health care.

• Bedsider, launched in 2011, gives medically accurate information about birth control and clinic locators and provides expert-backed guidance to help individuals make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health care. Bedsider had had 86.2 million visits to the site as of December 2024. 
• AbortionFinder was launched in 2020. The site offers a comprehensive directory of verified abortion providers and support services. Since the initial launch, AbortionFinder has had 11.7 million visits — 9.9 million have come since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reversed Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Plan C gives current information about how to access self-administered abortion medication.

The Brigid Alliance is a national nonprofit that provides logistical and financial support to patients who are currently 15 weeks pregnant or more and need to travel out of state for an abortion.

AidAccess was founded in 2018 by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts. The site assists women in finding resources for obtaining abortion medication. The site keeps all information private, offers a health review with a medical professional, and sends abortion pills to a patient’s home in 1 to 5 days in any state in the U.S.

I Need An A gives patients a safe and private way to search for abortion options. The site also gives information about abortion laws in each state and the cost of abortions and includes a page dedicated to abortion stories curated from social media and news outlets.

The National Network of Abortion Funds is made up of nearly 100 independent abortion funds that give patients the financial help they may need to access an abortion. The help includes logistical support for traveling out of state, including money for hotels, travel, child care, and more.