...Jane; the Ledgendary Underground..Abortion Service

Just now when all kinds of illegal channels to get abortions are about to pop up, it's a good time to read about the underground world of abortion past. The 1995 book titled, The Story of Jane; The legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service (by Laura Kaplan) is about an underground abortion service in Chicago before Roe. Here is a review:

"Before Roe v. Wade, most women seeking abortions were forced to turn to illegal, unregulated, and expensive abortionists. But in Chicago, those who could discover the organization code-named "Jane" found a level of protection and financial help. Laura Kaplan, who joined Jane in 1971, has pieced together the histories of those who broke the law in Chicago to help care for thousands of women in what they called the Abortion Counseling Service of Women's Liberation.

Drawing on interviews with dozens of members of Jane and women who had abortions through the service, Kaplan shows how a disparate group of ordinary women--most without political experience or medical training--built a referral and counseling service into a full-fledged underground abortion service. Believing that women who cared about abortion should be the ones controlling abortion, the women of Jane transformed an illegal procedure from a dangerous, sordid experience into one that was life-affirming and powerful.

The group closed up the business in 1973 after Roe. In the four years of existence it performed 11,000 abortions. Almost none of their patients had medical problems. Other abortion providers were not as careful and  Cook County (Ill) public hospital had an entire wing devoted to botched abortions. One person who helped women find abortions estimated there were between 50,000 and 60,000 per year in the Chicago metro area alone.

While the women who ran Jane eventually performed abortions themselves, they began by searching Chicago in early years for licensed doctors who would perform them.  One liberal pastor referred women to licensed doctors from a list of 15.  But, since it was illegal, doctors were not easy to locate and very secretive. Probably most abortions were performed by amateurs.  The Jane women first paid doctors and imposters about $500 per abortion. Later, they performed them themselves and the price dropped. Jane raised money through donations to pay for poor pregnant women. Everything was, of course, cash.

The Jane group sent patients to one apartment to wait. This location was called "The Front." Then small groups were driven to another location for the abortions. They moved frequently. Six of the 30 or so women involved were arrested shortly before the Roe decision. While awaiting trail the operation continued at full speed. No trail was ever held and after Roe all charges were dropped. 

Anyone who believes passing laws against abortion stops abortions should read this book. It illustrates how easy it was to start and maintain a sustainable underground abortion business under the nose of law enforcement.