(WAND) — Illinois women, seeking an abortion are in limbo as the Department of Justice appeals a Texas court ruling on medication used to induce an abortion. The drug may only be available until Friday.

"Medication-abortion is still available, and it's still legal in the state of Illinois," Brigid Leahy, the Vice President of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, told WAND News.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) said the organization is closely watching the legal battle over the abortion pill Mifepristone.

"While we are waiting to see what the court does, we know that for the rest of this week it's still available," Leahy explained.

PPIL said mifepristone is used for the majority of abortions, because it can be taken at home and is more accessible.

"You have a tele-health appointment and then the medication can be shipped to your home address. Planned Parenthood of Illinois only ships to addresses in the state of Illinois," Leahy added.

The non-profit said it can begin using the drug misoprostol, if mifepristone is banned. But PPIL believes the Texas judge's decision was made based on politics, not science.

"To take a drug off the market that is a preferred method of medication-abortion, it is the standard of care and it has decades and decades of evidence of being safe and effective," Leahy said.

A Texas judge ruled Friday the FDA ignored safety concerns in approving mifepristone, but government officials are pushing back.

"FDA has followed all the rules and used the evidence to make a decision," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.

The DOJ is now appealing the ruling and is asking the court to pause the Texas opinion from going into effect.

"We don't believe it is in anyone's interest to have the sound, tested, proven approval process that FDA goes through before it lets any drug on the market be overturned," Secretary Becerra added.

Illinois Democrats have issued a statement encouraging women in the state to keep their appointments for medication-induced abortion. The Dobbs Working group has condemned the Texas ruling and is monitoring the legal process.

A rally is being held by Resistor Sisterhood Thursday at the federal courthouse in Springfield.

Copyright 2023. WAND TV. All rights reserved.