Pregnancy Help News reported in a previous article on the liberal usage of chemical abortion in the United Kingdom.
The August, 2020, article noted that, “Amid the UK government's relaxing of chemical abortion restrictions, the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) has seen an increase in the number of women inquiring about abortion pill reversals in the UK.”
Unfortunately, as worldwide success of Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) protocols have saved more than 3,000 babies, in the UK this life-saving option is being blocked by the National Health Service (NHS).
According to Christa Brown, director of Medical Impact at Heartbeat International, “The NHS has banned our UK providers from helping these women. APR is simply providing progesterone to support the pregnancy after mifepristone. Progesterone has been proven safe in pregnancy and has been prescribed for more than 50 years.”
In 2021 a UK resident reached out on Facebook to pro-life advocates, desperate for a second chance to save her unborn child’s life:
“I am 5 and a half weeks pregnant. I found out on the day of my missed period …” she posted. “Yesterday I went to the clinic and took the first pill (mifepristone). This morning I went back in for the procedure and the procedure couldn’t even be started because the pill hadn’t worked and didn’t soften my cervix at all!”
She goes on to state her regrets and desperation to protect her child, seeking advice on how to reverse the effects of the abortion pill.
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“I’m terrified, I want this baby so bad,” she said. “What have I done? Any advice on how to reverse the effects of this pill will be extremely welcome.”
As numerous helpful respondents shared what they knew about APR, others warned of the legal ramifications of trying to secure the life-saving medication, noting it is illegal in the UK.
Three days later the desperate mom posted again asking for prayers as she was experiencing cramping and bleeding. At seven weeks she was still pregnant and ultrasound revealed a healthy baby at that point.
She expressed her immense gratitude for all the prayers.
“The situation remains challenging in the UK for women who have regret after starting a chemical abortion,” noted Brown. “Once a woman takes the first abortion medication in the UK, the NHS has restricted all other choices.”
“These women contact our hotline desperate for help but are being forced to complete this medical process they no longer desire,” she continued. “Every week we hear from women in the UK who have taken mifepristone and would like to save the lives of their babies.”
The irony is that the NHS advocates for the use of progesterone for patients with symptoms of threatened miscarriage. The only variant between these two groups is that one group are patients from abortion clinics and have taken an abortion drug and the others have not.
The need and potential benefit of progesterone support is the same for both the abortion clinic patient who has changed her mind and the patient whose pregnancy is threatened by miscarriage.
Brown stated, “The disbelief that their own healthcare system will not help them is frustrating to them and the grief for the loss of their children is heard by our hotline nurses many times every week.”
“The restrictions have not been rooted in public safety or in the desires of the patients,” said Brown, “but rather the NHS has caved to political and media pressures.”
“The only complaints about APR in the UK have come from abortion providers,” she said, “those that profit from women taking mifepristone and misoprostol to end their pregnancies and those that would like to hide the reality that many women have regret after abortion.”
Tweet This: The only complaints about APR in the UK have come from abortion providers- those who profit from women taking mifepristone and misoprostol
The Facebook posts of this young mom demonstrate a consistent pattern: Women who are initially panicked and pressured to start a chemical abortion (whether by their own anxiety or pressure from others), upon further reflection become despondent.
It would seem regardless of one’s view on abortion, all could agree these women should have a choice. Their brokenhearted reaction to the thought of losing their unborn baby should be met with compassion and medical options.
Certainly, the NHS must be enlightened to realize they are punishing women for being UK citizens by taking away the possibility to pursue life for their baby.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN) and Pregnancy Help News.
