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State pro-life leaders say campuses aren’t offering support for pregnant students who don’t want abortions
Illinois State University appears to have purchased a single abortion pill to comply with a new state law requiring public campuses to offer abortions, according to an invoice The College Fix obtained recently through a public records request.
However, the public university has not responded to questions about the invoice or its compliance with the law. Meanwhile, Illinois pro-life leaders say that support for students who choose life for their unborn babies has not kept pace.
Every public university in Illinois is required to provide medication abortion or referrals. The law, which went into effect in August 2025, requires contraception and abortion pills to be offered to students for free if the campus has a student health center. Schools that do not have a pharmacy on campus must refer students off campus for these services.
Illinois State University’s invoice, dated Sept. 15, 2025, shows that it purchased a single dose of mifepristone for $43 — one month after the law went into effect, according to the public record. Mifepristone is one of the two drugs typically used in combination to abort an unborn baby in the first trimester.
The College Fix emailed the university media relations office and Student Health Services to ask about the invoice and current inventory of abortion medication.
The Fix also asked if the university is distributing abortion drugs or if it has a third-party agreement with another provider, and what services it provides for pregnant students who do not want an abortion. Neither responded to several requests for comment via email within the past two weeks.
Information about abortion is scarce on the university’s Student Health Services website. It only briefly mentions abortion on the “Pharmacy” page.
Under a section about birth control, it states: “A referral to a tertiary care facility for students seeking medication abortion is available. The on-campus pharmacy fills contraception prescriptions and medication abortion prescriptions for enrolled students.”
Meanwhile, state pro-life leaders believe that universities are not doing enough to provide services for pregnant and parenting students that support both mother and child.
“A university’s responsibility is to support students by educating them and giving them the resources they need to succeed,” Steve Jacobs, director of education for Illinois Right to Life, said.
“Too often, discussions about unexpected pregnancy focus almost exclusively on whether abortion is accessible, while giving far less attention to the practical barriers that lead many students to believe they have no real alternative,” Jacobs told The College Fix in a recent email.
Jacobs said colleges should provide or connect students with “prenatal care, parenting resources, childcare assistance, housing support, flexible attendance policies, lactation spaces, counseling, financial aid, and referrals to community organizations.”
He also recommended that universities consider creating “dedicated offices to support pregnant and parenting students,” because students often struggle to locate existing resources.
“No student should feel that continuing her pregnancy means sacrificing her education. Students should never have to choose between earning a degree and becoming a parent,” Jacobs said.
A spokesperson for We Dignify, an Illinois based pro-life organization that mentors college students, echoed those concerns.
“Universities have a responsibility to support students through every stage of an unexpected pregnancy, not to steer them toward one outcome,” Carly DePrey told The College Fix in a recent email.
DePrey said many campuses fail to proactively inform students about available assistance, leaving some to believe abortion is the only practical option.
“At a minimum, institutions should ensure students are fully informed of all options and are connected to resources that allow them to continue both their education and their pregnancy,” DePrey said.
After Illinois passed its abortion mandate, a College Fix analysis found that none of the institutions that are now required to offer abortions provide prenatal care through their student health centers.
Both pro-life advocates contend that universities’ current approach sends a troubling message to students facing unexpected pregnancies.
Jacobs of Illinois Right to Life said, “It risks sending the message that universities are prepared to support students if they choose to end a pregnancy, but not if they choose to continue one. If a university truly wants students to make free and informed decisions, it should invest in making parenthood a realistic option as well.”
Similarly, DePrey at We Dignify said that making abortion readily available while not integrating prenatal and postnatal care into campus health services “gives the impression that continuing a pregnancy is less compatible with being a student.”
Abortion advocates often tout the need for “comprehensive” women’s healthcare. The two pro-life organizations want to hold them accountable to this.
“Comprehensive support means meeting the full range of a student’s needs—not just providing one medical service,” Jacobs said. “It includes prenatal and postnatal care, mental health services, childcare, academic flexibility, financial support, housing assistance, lactation accommodations, parenting resources, and strong referral networks.”
DePrey at We Dignify similarly defined comprehensive care as supporting “both mother and child” through medical care, parenting resources, mental health services, and academic accommodations.
MORE: Every public Illinois university must offer abortions. None provide prenatal care.
