Know Your Rights

Birth control is safe and legal in all 50 states and abortion is safe and legal in Illinois. ICAN! will provide birth control no matter where you live.

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It is your right to decide if, when and under what circumstances to become pregnant or to parent

You have the right to get confidential care on their own (anyone 12 and older in Illinois)

You have the right to request a prescription for a year supply of hormonal birth control methods from your provider

You have the right to ask your provider for the EC pill at your next visit so you have it on hand just in case

You have the right to free birth control

You have the right to birth control of your choice

Your Health. Your Rights.

It is your right to decide if, when and under what circumstances to become pregnant or to parent.

If you find yourself pregnant, you have three options: abortion, prenatal care to parent, or prenatal care for adoption. A trusted healthcare provider should give you the facts about all options and let you decide what’s best for you.

You have the right to get confidential care on your own (anyone 12 and older in Illinois).

Anyone 12 and older in Illinois can get confidential care on their own for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and birth control, including emergency contraception and long-acting methods like an IUD or implant.

And if you’re under 18, you are not required to notify a parent or guardian in order to get an abortion.

You have the right to request a prescription for a year supply of hormonal birth control methods from your provider.

Your provider can write a prescription for a year supply of hormonal birth control methods (pill, patch, ring). Tell your pharmacist you’d like to pick up the full years supply during a single pick-up/delivery.

You have the right to ask your provider for the EC pill at your next visit so you have it on hand just in case.

Emergency contraception (EC) prevents pregnancy for individuals who are not currently pregnant. You can ask your provider for the EC pill at your next visit so you have it on hand just in case.

There are also EC pills available over the counter, or you can ask your provider for an IUD (a good option if you’re looking for EC that also serves as long-acting birth control).

EC pills are different than pills used for an abortion. EC pills work to prevent ovulation which may decrease your chance of getting pregnant; while abortion pills stop the pregnancy from developing. The sooner you use EC after unprotected sex the better.

You have the right to free birth control.

If you’re enrolled in, or eligible for, Medicaid then your plan covers all FDA-approved birth control. Learn about your birth control options on our birth control methods page.

You have the right to birth control of your choice.

If your provider doesn’t give you the birth control you want, you can go outside of your network, primary care medical home or health plan. If you’re not sure where to find birth control, use ICAN!’s birth control provider finder.

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