Abortion providers are bracing for Iowa’s near total abortion ban to take effect on Monday.

In Illinois, the Chicago Abortion Fund, a group which provides referrals and funds to those seeking abortions, saw a 165 percent increase in support requests from patients in Iowa this month, it told The Washington Post.

“It’s staggering even to me,” the group’s executive director Megan Jeyifo said.

Last month, the Iowa Supreme Court lifted a hold on a 2023 state law, banning abortions in most cases after six weeks, after a lower court temporarily blocked the law.

The ban will now take effect Monday morning.

In preparation, Planned Parenthood told NBC News it’s expanding services in surrounding states like Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

“We are standing by ready to help patients receive access to care, even if that means traveling out of state,” Ruth Richardson, president of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said.

The Emma Goldman Clinic, based in Iowa City, said it will seek to support patients who need to travel out of state now for care.

“We will help those for whom we are unable to provide abortion services to navigate the logistics of seeking care in other states,” it said in a statement.”

Prior to the 2023 law, which contains exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormality, and lethal risks to the mother, Iowa banned abortions after 22 weeks.

Abortions expected to drop 97 percent once the new law takes effect, according to Planned Parenthood.

Don’t forget to check the water quality reports if you head to the beach this weekend. More than a few beaches are not recommended for swimming.

A total of 13 beaches are not recommended for swimming this week. High E. coli levels were reported at 12 beaches and high algal toxin levels were reported at two.

Wondering how can you check up on water monitoring, beach classifications and know what locations are open or closed? Iowa Department of Natural Resources tracks it all and updates the public weekly on its website and using a phone hotline at 515-725-3434.

The DNR collects weekly samples at 39 state-owned swimming beaches to determine the public’s risk of coming in contact with waterborne diseases. Testing starts a week prior to Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day. 

What Iowa beaches are not recommended for swimming?

Backbone Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Beeds Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 23

Black Hawk Lake

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 23

Blue Lake

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 23

Denison Beach

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 23

George Wyth Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Lake Ahquabi

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Lake Darling

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Lake of Three Fires

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Nine Eagles Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 23

Pleasant Creek Lake

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Rock Creek Lake

• Beach classification: Less vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

Union Grove Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

West Okoboji Lake

• Beach classification: Vulnerable
• Last test date: July 24

What Iowa beaches have a special status?

Lake Keomah: Monitoring by DNR has been suspended for the 2024 season. The DNR expected to start draining the lake on July 9 for a major renovation and water quality improvement project that will last until spring 2026.

What Iowa beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?

Three beaches previously considered “not recommended for swimming” in Week 9 data, posted on July 19, are now OK for swimming:

• Pheasant Creek Beach
• Emerson Bay Beach
• Denison Beach

How does the Iowa DNR classify Iowa’s beaches based on their water quality?

DNR officials classify state park beaches into one of three categories annually based on their history of bacteria results in recent years:

Vulnerable: Beaches are considered vulnerable when the geometric mean standard is exceeded in three or more of the five most recent sampling seasons.

Transitional: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “vulnerable” in the past monitoring seasons.

Less vulnerable: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “transitional” or “less vulnerable” in past monitoring seasons.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.