It’s not too late… The Truth behind Abortion Pill Reversal

The conversation of abortion or abortion pill reversal is not something that anyone takes lightly. For a woman having second thoughts after she has begun the process of a chemical abortion, time is crucial. Life Services and our MyChoice Clinics are committed to giving every client accurate information about the options before them. There has been a noticeable upswing in questions at our clinic regarding the Abortion Pill. We find our clients asking, “What if I change my mind about my abortion?” and “Is it too late to reverse?” We hope to answer these questions here…

What are my options?

Faced with the reality of an unplanned pregnancy many women feel stuck. Abortion seems to be the only option. The abortion pill is marketed as a quick and easy solution to those seeking to end their pregnancy. But often, shortly following the first pill, a woman can feel regret quickly followed by panic over, “What have I done?”

What if we could stop the completion of a chemical abortion before it happens? What if it’s not too late? At Life Services, we are careful to communicate that we do not refer for or provide abortions. What we do provide though is hope and support that empowers those facing an unplanned pregnancy with life-affirming options. And one of those options is the Abortion Pill Reversal at no cost. Taken within the proper timeframe, the Abortion Pill Reversal can actually stop a chemical abortion in progress. We believe that real choice means no woman should ever feel forced to finish an abortion she regrets.

You may have seen recent headlines in the media that have implied danger and harm caused by the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol. Dr. Poppy Daniels, an OB-GYN from Missouri shared her thoughts, via a string of Facebook posts stating that the actual danger posed to women is not the progesterone used in a reversal, but the chemical used in the abortion pill itself.

How does the Abortion Pill work?

Also known as Mifepristone or RU-486, the “abortion pill” involves taking two drugs at separate times. Mifepristone, the first drug, destabilizes a pregnancy by blocking progesterone, the natural hormone needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy. In most cases, women take the first pill in clinic. Patients are sent home to administer the second pill themselves 24-48 hours later. To complete the abortion, the second drug, Misoprostol, causes uterine contractions which in turn causes the cervix to thin, soften, and dilate, or open up in order to expel the embryo from the uterus. This is a long process and usually takes hours, anywhere from 2 to 72 hours or more, leaving women to suffer through the worst of their abortion process alone.

“RU-486 causes nausea, stomach cramping, and bleeding, including the risk for hemorrhaging. Women have reported significant pain, excessive blood loss, and trips to the emergency room for fluids, blood or a surgical abortion if the process has not been complete. Daniels explained. “Misoprostol can also cause painful contractions and bleeding. Women are usually counseled that they will be having cramping and bleeding like a heavy period and to take Ibuprofen, take a shower and go to bed. But the process is rarely that easy.”

How does the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol work?

The protocol was developed by George Delgado and Dr. Matt Harrison. Delgado is a physician and clinical professor at UC San Diego. Harrison is a researcher at Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Medical College of Virginia. This pill works by giving a woman extra progesterone after she takes the first chemical abortion drug.

“For Abortion Pill Reversal, the concept is that you reverse the Mifepristone/RU486 with the progesterone.” Daniels wrote. “If you can flood the body with natural progesterone very soon after taking the first pill and don’t take the second pill, you can displace the Mifepristone/RU486 and save the pregnancy.”

To date, Heartbeat International and the Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN) have reported more than 900 babies safely delivered with no side effects.

For Daniels, who has been using progesterone for years to help women carry healthy pregnancies to term, the protocol is safe. “The Abortion Pill Reversal is simple and elegant in its design,” Daniels wrote. “There is a strong biological basis for this protocol because it is based on reproductive physiology.” She then linked to a major study released by Delgado last year that followed 754 women, demonstrating that up to 68 percent of women who changed their minds about their abortion and started the abortion pill reversal protocol were able to give birth to perfectly healthy babies.

For more information about the services we provide please visit www.mychoicspokane.org.

Life Services does not refer for or provide abortions. Instead providing the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol free of charge to any woman who has had a change of mind about going through with a chemical abortion. If you would like more information please contact us at 509-327-0701 to speak to a nurse.