Prenatal Resources
Iowa WIC
Iowa Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides support in the form of supplemental nutrition programs for babies, children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and postpartum mothers. Visit the website to see if you may qualify for WIC assistance.
Iowa Department of Health & Human Services
Iowa DHHS offers state assistance, resources, and support of various kinds to pregnant and expecting mothers. Apply for assistance programs, inquire about family services, file a report, and more on their website.
Youth and Family Shelter Services
YSS provides prenatal and post-natal care for young mothers, education, parenting and life skills, emergency services, and much more.
Adoption Referral Resources
Lutheran Services in Iowa
Lutheran Services provides free programming and support to families and Iowa community members ranging from early childhood education and therapy to family safety and more. Learn more and reach out to their staff on their site.
Baby Safe Haven
The Safe Haven Act is a law that allows parents, or another person with the parent’s authorization, to leave an infant up to 90 days old at a hospital or healthcare facility without fear of prosecution for abandonment. A parent may also contact 911 and relinquish physical custody of an infant up to 90 days old to a first responder. All states have Safe Haven laws, although provisions differ.
Abortion Resources
Current Abortion Law in Iowa
Currently, abortion is legal in Iowa until cardiac activity is detected (about 6 weeks). If you’re around 6 weeks pregnant or less, it is legal for you to get an abortion in Iowa.
If you are under the age of 18, you must notify a parent or legal guardian to get an abortion in Iowa. If notifying a parent or guardian is not an option for you, you can seek a judicial bypass. A judicial bypass allows you to waive the requirement for parental involvement. If you’re a minor who would like help navigating the judicial bypass process, contact the If/When/How Judicial Bypass (JB) Helpline. To contact the JB Helpline, call 844-868-2812 or submit a request online.
Other Iowa laws may make it more difficult to access abortion care in Iowa. You can leave Iowa and get an abortion out of state.
If you’re past around 6 weeks pregnant, you may need to travel out of Iowa to get an abortion unless you qualify for an exception. Exceptions are very limited and include:
- To save the pregnant person’s life
- To prevent serious risk to the pregnant person’s physical health
- If the fetus is not expected to survive the pregnancy
- If the pregnancy is a result of rape and/or incest. The rape and incest exceptions require sexual assault survivors to report the incident to law enforcement or a health agency within 45 days and survivors of incest to report the assault within 140 days.
Keep in mind that some states require a waiting period. This means you may have to schedule one appointment for a counseling session, then wait a required amount of time before having your abortion appointment.
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood offers a variety of services to clients. Pregnant women can contact their local organizations to inquire about pregnancy testing and services, patient education, and more.
Abortion Finder
Abortion Finder has up-to-date abortion laws and an abortion clinic locator for all states in the US.
Iowa Abortion Access Fund
IAAF raises money for Iowans that wish to have an abortion but may not be able to pay for the service.
More Resources
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
The nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and carries out programming to support survivors and prevent violence.
Domestic Violence Hotline
The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers support and resources for survivors of abuse ranging from instant online chat, a hotline to call, and/or a number to text to reach out. Learn more on their website.
Children and Families of Iowa
CFI provides services to improve the lives of children and families in Iowa through domestic violence prevention/intervention, teen programs, family support, mental health, and more. Seek and find the support you deserve on their website.