Call Jane is based on the true story of a network of activists who helped provide underground abortions in 1960 and 70s Chicago. These activists called themselves "Jane," or "the Jane collective." People seeking abortions were told to "call Jane." That said, the characters in Call Jane are not based on specific people.
Elisabeth Moss and Susan Sarandon were attached to an earlier iteration of the film, with Sian Heder attached to direct.
Director Phyllis Nagy and actors Cory Michael Smith and John Magaro previously worked together on Carol (2015), for which Nagy wrote the screenplay.
The film was shot in West Hartford, Connecticut from May and June 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.