Lately there has been a push by the media to discredit the treatment known as abortion pill reversal. We are supporting legislation in Michigan to let women know about this critical option. It is important we understand the background and the process behind the abortion pill reversal.
What is the abortion pill?
In the United States many first trimester abortions are done via a chemical abortion pill, RU-486. A chemical abortion is actually administered by two separate pills that together are intended to take the life of the child.
The first pill that you are given is called mifepristone (Mifeprix), the actual RU-486 as the chemical was originally called. This chemical binds to a woman’s progesterone receptors to block progesterone, which is a natural hormone that is necessary to nurture and sustain a pregnancy. A progesterone deficiency causes the uterine lining to break down. This effectively starves the unborn baby, and causes her to die.
Before the woman leaves the clinic, they are given a second pill called misoprostol. They are instructed to take this pill in the next 24 to 48 hours. It causes uterine contractions, which are meant to expel their now deceased baby.
Some women will instantly regret their abortion after taking the first pill. In 2007, Dr. Matthew Harrison in North Carolina was approached by one such woman who regretted her decision and wanted to be able to save her baby. Dr. Harrison came up with a last-ditch attempt to reverse the effects of RU-486 and save the life of the woman's child: a progesterone treatment. Progesterone treatments are commonly used to help prevent miscarriages.
Around the same time Dr. George Delgado in California was able to make the same conclusion in his research. Together, they realized that by giving women natural progesterone they could counteract the progesterone-starving effects of RU-486. Previously the only hope women had was the small chance the RU-486 wouldn't be effective and to not take the second drug to expel their child.
What are the health risks to stopping a chemical abortion?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in a March 2014 bulletin stated, “No evidence exists to date of a teratogenic effect of Mifepristone.” The good news is current research suggests that the abortion pill does not appear to cause birth defects when it fails to kill the child. That matters little anyway, however, to a woman desperate for a significantly better chance to save the life of her child. What sort of sick society would deny women a common treatment to save their child's life simply because the child may have a disability or health condition?
As for progesterone treatments, they are routinely used to help women with fertility, or for women who have a history of miscarriage. Progesterone treatments for pregnancies are approved by the FDA, having passed their safety protocol for effects to the woman and her child. Progesterone treatments have decades of research and development behind their various forms.
How well does it work?
Because the treatments are already FDA-approved, the question is this: how successful are these off-label uses in saving the life of a child compared to women not taking the second chemical abortion drug and hoping for the best?
Dr. Delgado has published a peer-reviewed article on his early techniques and has said a new article detailing his latest study is expected to be published very soon. He said his latest study involves more than 300 patients and a success rate of stopping the abortion in 60 to 70 percent of cases. Visit the website of their network at abortionpillreversal.com. The website includes stories of real women who took the abortion pill, realized they made a mistake, and then were able to reverse the effects of RU-486.
With the use of these drugs for chemical abortions on the rise, it is important that we make sure that women know all of the choices that are in front of them because it may not be too late for them to get the help that they need. It would be wrong for groups and medical organizations who support abortion to criticize doctors offering a choice to women seeking to use a common treatment to save the life of their clearly wanted child.
What if myself or someone I know wants to reverse a RU-486 abortions?
Visit their website or call their network at 877-558-0333 today to be connected to a medical professional.
