Buttons coming for pregnant women to signal other CTA riders should give up their seats

"Here, take my seat."

Those are words the CTA hopes will be directed at more pregnant women on trains and buses after an upcoming awareness effort that will include buttons expectant mothers can wear to indicate to fellow riders that it would be nice if someone offered up a seat.

The program will be launched later this year, the CTA confirmed.

"Look for this to happen sooner rather than later," said a CTA source, who also noted that planners trying to roll out the program are well aware that July and August have the highest birthrates of the calendar year in Cook County.

But the transit agency isn't commenting on exactly when it is being rolled out, how buttons can be obtained, what they'll look like or what they'll cost.

"The details of the CTA program - specific launch date, distribution plan, button design - are close to being finalized," CTA spokesman Brian Steele said. "We're stoked about it."

The CTA has relied on loudspeaker announcements and signs to remind riders to offer up seats to pregnant women - tactics that simply aren't enough, according to several moms and moms-to-be.

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