Until Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, abortion was illegal. Despite this, women had abortions--and at rates similar to today. Some self-aborted, while others obtained abortions from licensed doctors or even non-professionals. 

In 1969, Heather Booth, a University of Chicago student, founded an underground abortion referral network. This group, which consisted of Chicago housewives and students, became known as the Jane Collective. The group began as a referral service for women seeking abortions but eventually grew into a network that provided counseling, abortion services, and in some cases, childcare to women of all races and socio-economic statuses. Women found out about the collective through word of mouth or advertisements in newspapers that read “Need Help? Call Jane.” 

In 1971, members of the collective learned that one of their doctors was not licensed, though he had been performing up to 20 abortions a day. Soon after, members of the collective taught themselves to perform abortions, which cut costs from up to $1000--equivalent to $6,500 today--to approximately $100. Performing the abortions themselves allowed the Jane Collective to better control costs and offer abortions on a sliding scale. Throughout the four years that the collective was in operation, the group performed around 11,000 abortions--and with no fatalities. 

In 1972, police arrested seven Jane members after raiding the apartment where they operated. However, before the case went to trial, the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalized abortion and all charges were dropped. The story of Jane continues to offer many lessons for thinking about abortion politics, reproductive justice, and women’s liberation-- and these lessons are shared in Paula Kamen’s play Jane: Abortion and the Underground.