The Maternal Health Center was founded in 1938 as Springfield’s first dedicated birth control clinic. Early leaders included Myrtle Zimmerman (1892-1988), Elizabeth “Libby” Lanphier (1908-1997), Calista Herndon (1902-1983), and Mary “Dougie” Funk (1900-1980). The center faced early obstacles including limited funding and opposition from St. John’s Hospital, a Catholic Institution and the most prominent local hospital. Local physicians would not help at the center’s clinic because they needed to remain in good standing with the hospital.

Despite these challenges, a two room clinic was opened at the corner of 5th and Jefferson streets, staffed by a woman physician who commuted twice a month from Chicago. The clinic’s services were aimed primarily at poor women, who were brought to the center mostly by word of mouth. Some local ministers referred women to the clinic, supporters attended Parent Teacher Association and public aid meetings, and volunteers staffed a booth at the Illinois State Fair. The group also used local newspapers to identify soon-to-be brides and new mothers to target with mailed informational letters.

In 1940, singer and actress Jeanette MacDonald appeared at a benefit concert for the center. Although planned in support of birth control, the concert faced opposition from Catholics and other opponents of contraceptives and the ensuing negative letter campaign caused MacDonald to attempt to cancel the appearance. MacDonald’s ultimate performance had little to do with birth control, but the ticket sales from the event kept the center financially stable through the 1950s.

Sometime in the 1950s, the organization renamed itself the Planned Parenthood Association of Springfield. By this point they had a regular local physician, Dr. Ann Pearson, on staff, but many other local doctors had begun providing contraceptives to patients. Decreased demand led the organization to convert from a clinic to an information and referral service. Under pressure from the national Planned Parenthood organization to expand and professionalize in the 1960s, the organization deemed such an action impractical and instead closed in 1964.

Caryl Moy revived the organization in 1971, opening the Family Planning of Sangamon County clinic, which served 150 patients during its first year of operation, staffed by volunteers and operating out of Springfield Clinic. The Family Planning center received a federal grant of $47,900 in the spring of 1972, with which it moved to the Medicenter and hired a director, outreach worker, and receptionist. In 1973, the group was granted a provisional affiliation with Planned Parenthood of America and moved downtown. The organization grew steadily through the 1970s, with a budget of almost $200,000 and a patient load of 2,500 in 1979.