Sorting through the fake news and abortion propaganda
Headlines about abortion pill reversal have recently read (emphasis added):
• “California files lawsuit against organizations promoting unproven abortion pill reversal treatment” - The Hill
• “Colorado cannot ban unproven abortion pill reversal treatment, judge says” - Reuters
• “Can you reverse abortions? Some say yes; others call the treatment unethical, possibly dangerous” - MedicalPress
• “Safety Problems Lead To Early End For Study Of 'Abortion Pill Reversal'” - NPR
• “What Abortion Pill ‘Reversal’ Really Accomplishes It’s more than an unproven medical treatment—it’s a view into the antiabortion movement’s larger project.” - Wired
If this sounds like “fake news” and abortion propaganda, that’s because it is. But why do they care so much if a woman makes another choice?
When a woman is having regret after starting an abortion, she needs skilled medical assistance as soon as possible. In desperation to save the lives of their children, women typically search online for this urgent help - some from the abortion provider’s office; others from their cars as they ride home; and still others from their bedrooms or bathrooms as they begin their abortions.
As they are going on phones and devices for emergency help, often they are forced to sift through political, deceptive pseudo-think tanks fueled by Big Abortion. This promotion of abortion from media extremists does nothing to promote the medical autonomy of women who are weighing their choices, nor does it provide truth about real pregnancy options.
[Click here to subscribe to Pregnancy Help News!]
The Abortion Pill Rescue Network works to ensure that women have the opportunity to continue their pregnancies every step of the way, even after starting an abortion.
An ABC News headline asked, “What does the science say about abortion pill 'reversal' treatment after ban is halted in Colorado?” Yet they never really explained the science, they just quoted abortion proponents who refer to reversal as “snake oil” and advocate for mifepristone abortion as “safe and effective” without the scientific evidence promised.
Despite the significant evidence of the safety and efficacy of the abortion pill reversal protocol, the misinformation promoted by abortion extremists posing as journalists works to set limits on women's options in a time of real struggle.
Tweet This: Misinformation on abortion pill reversal promoted by abortion extremists set limits on women's options in a time of real struggle.
What is chemical abortion?
The vast majority of abortions in the world are now offered via chemical abortion pills. With increased profit to those who sell these unsafe drugs online, through telehealth visits, or in-person, these pills are marketed to those making tough choices as “safer than Tylenol,” “abortion in your own home,” and “safe and effective.”
Despite the deceptive advertising by abortion providers, there is nothing safe, healing, or helpful in this life-ending process.
Tweet This: Despite deceptive advertising by abortion providers, there is nothing safe, healing, or helpful in the life-ending chemical abortion process
In part because a large percentage of women start their abortions under coerced or forced circumstances, there can be immediate regret. These women are seeking urgent medical assistance.
Brittany Spears, who has recently shared her traumatizing chemical abortion experience that parallels many others, stated, “If it were up to me alone, I never would have done it. To this day it was one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.”
Yet for those who do have regret, there is hope with abortion pill reversal.
Are these abortion drugs actually “safer than Tylenol”?
While abortion proponents in the media work to disparage any effort to support women and families, they disregard the number of lives damaged or ended by the abortion industry. Sadly, for women seeking a “safe and effective” answer, the rate of complications of chemical abortion pills exceeds that of surgical abortion by four times. Because abortion in America is underreported and some states do not report at all, it’s impossible to know the real impact for women of America. 
We do know that most common serious adverse events following a chemical abortion are retained “products of conception,” bleeding, infection, and ongoing pregnancy, as well as missed ectopic pregnancies.
In an analysis of FDA data from 2000-2019, “retained products of conception” and hemorrhage caused the most deaths of these young women. There were 75 ectopic pregnancies, including 26 ruptured ectopic pregnancies. There were 2243 surgeries including 2146 (95.68%) D&Cs of which only 853 (39.75%) were performed by abortion providers. Hemorrhage occurred more often in those who took both mifepristone and misoprostol (51.44%) than in those who took mifepristone alone (22.41%).
The conclusions of those studying these horrifying outcomes were that significant morbidity and mortality have occurred following the use of mifepristone as an abortifacient and that the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) must be strengthened.
Why would the FDA permit such dangerous drugs to be dispensed in the U.S.?
In over a century of serving the American public, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for market over 20,000 prescription drug products.
Yet mifepristone is one of only 76 drugs deemed so dangerous, a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) was put in place to guard the public from the deadly effects. Fully aware of the reports and harm to women, the FDA not only refuses to remove this dangerous drug, instead the FDA continues to work hand in hand with abortion extremists to loosen safeguards and hide the evidence of harm.
In addition, the FDA has never approved misoprostol for abortion purposes but advocates for it used in combination with mifepristone as an off-label use. This drug is so dangerous, it has a black box warning for pregnancy. This type of warning, also called boxed warnings, is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for certain medications that carry serious safety risks.
What is a bio-identical hormone and how is it an antidote for mifepristone?
In stark contrast to the dangers of abortion drugs, when women want to continue a pregnancy, they seek the same bioidentical progesterone that has been used safely for many decades. Bioidentical hormones are similar to the hormones produced by the human body and are used as treatment for people whose own hormones are low or unbalanced. When a woman takes an abortion pill, this produces chemically induced low progesterone levels.
The Cleveland Clinic advises that any hormone therapy be used after weighing the risks and benefits. When prescribing progesterone as an antidote to mifepristone, the risk is the loss of a pregnancy, and the proposed benefit is saving the life of the child.
Why is progesterone essential in pregnancy?
When conception of a new life occurs, the corpus luteum doesn’t break down and continues to make more progesterone (also known as the “pregnancy hormone”). The uterine lining is thick and rich in blood vessels, which provide nutrients to the baby. The placenta forms at the end of the first trimester and takes over this progesterone-making duty. In the development of mifepristone by Danco Laboratories, it was clearly understood that mifepristone drops progesterone to unsafe levels, immediately the pregnancy is a risk for loss and that it was reversible.
With the supplementation of progesterone after mifepristone, there is nearly a 70% chance she will continue the pregnancy. This has been demonstrated during the development of the drug, through several animal and human studies, and in human experience as thousands of pregnancies have been saved through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network.
Is progesterone treatment unsafe?
Contrary to media reports, those who prescribe abortion pill reversal treatment are not outlaws, or, unlike abortion providers, providing unsafe care. They are medical professionals honoring the requests of their patients with safe and effective treatment.
This same progesterone is commonly used throughout the world in preventing recurrent miscarriage or preterm birth, and also in treatment during menopause, and for in vitro fertilization (IVF) support.
It should not be a privilege to make the reproductive choice to continue a pregnancy.
How can progesterone be a safe treatment widely accepted in medicine but not after mifepristone?
Since the progesterone counteracts the harmful effects of the mifepristone, there are not the ill effects on the mothers typically seen after mifepristone and no increased birth defects for the babies born after successful reversal.
Is abortion pill reversal safe and effective?
Dr. Mitch Creinin, a self-described researcher of new abortion techniques, proved remarkably that abortion pill reversal provides better outcomes than expectant management. In his small and incomplete study, 80% of women who received progesterone after mifepristone had continuing pregnancies, but only 40% who received a placebo had ongoing pregnancies. Only those who were not provided progesterone required medical intervention further proving the need for progesterone to counteract the dangerous risk factors and support a pregnancy.
Some, like Katherine Riley, the policy director of Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, have championed laws that actually restrict choices from women. Riley recently said she considers a conviction from God to assist women as they continue their pregnancies as “bonkers.”
Yet others, who stand with their patients, understand that ACOG and other political action medical organizations have no authority to compel medical professionals to risk or end the lives of human beings. We have a moral and ethical obligation to care for both patients – mother and child.
Condemning women to complete any medical process they no longer consent to, including an abortion, is not 'choice' or healthcare. It is also not medically or ethically sound to withhold information or a drug that is well known to counteract the harmful effects of another drug. Offering a safe antidote is not “bonkers” – it’s compassionate and authentic healthcare.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) and Pregnancy Help News. Neither Heartbeat nor Pregnancy Help News endorse in vitro fertilization.
