Abortion Pill Reversal, Ultrasound Laws Give Women Real Choices

Over 250 pro-life laws have been introduced in more than 41 state legislatures so far in 2019.

Due to growing access to technology, a more conservative Supreme Court, a presidential administration upholding pro-life principles, and other pro-life efforts to spread awareness of the truth about scientifically accurate fetal development and health risks to mothers caused by abortion, the pro-life movement is gaining remarkable momentum.

While their other services decline, Planned Parenthood’s increasing abortions stand in stark contrast with the nationwide trend of decreasing abortions, abortion clinics closing, and an overwhelming bipartisan majority of Americans, including supporters of some abortion, in favor of strict restrictions and opposed to taxpayer funding.

Recently, several states including North Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas and Kentucky have specifically introduced laws to protect women’s health and their right to be more fully informed of their babies’ development, the health risks associated with abortion, and available alternatives. Thus, pro-life laws are giving women more information and choices.

North Dakota’s Senate voted 34-11 to send House Bill 1336 to Governor Doug Burgum, which would require women be informed that reversal of the two-step abortion pill regimen can be attempted after the first pill.

Opponents falsely argue such an option is not based on science, but the abortion pill has harmed women’s health, even caused deaths, and reversal has been successful in hundreds of cases, saving the lives of babies and preventing further risk to mothers.

Supporters of the proposal call it a “woman’s right to know bill,” as Senator Jane Myrdal explains it gives a woman “the full information she needs to make her own decision if she regrets her choice within a short period of time. It is only a notice. It is not medical advice.”

Lawmakers sponsoring the bill include Congressman Daniel Johnston who notes it is perplexing “how anyone could be against it,” since the bill “in no way restricts access to abortions” but ensures more options for “women having second thoughts.”

In fact, 84 percent of women who have abortions are not fully informed, 79 percent are not counseled about alternatives, and over 50 percent feel rushed or uncertain.

Nebraska introduced a similar bill to inform women of the possibility of reversal.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Joni Albrecht, calls such legislation “pro-life, pro-women, and pro-transparency.”

One patient who changed her mind was told there was nothing that could be done.

Thankfully, she found out about reversal and today, has a 5-year-old son whom she says is “everything he wasn’t supposed to be, and every day I wake up so grateful for my second chance at choice, and that’s exactly what this bill provides for women.”

Arkansas legislators also voted 70-14 to approve a bill requiring women to be notified in writing that abortion reversal can be attempted after the first pill, which now goes to Governor Asa Hutchison, who has signed other pro-life laws. Similarly, Oklahoma’s bill, which not only protects women’s right to know, but doctors failing to fully inform women of possible reversal after the first of two pills may face felony charges, is also expected to be signed by Governor Kevin Stitt, who said he would sign any anti abortion bill sent to his desk. Kansas passed a similar bill 85-35 in the House and 26-11 in the Senate, but may face more uncertainty before Democrat Governor Laura Kelly who supports abortion. It is telling, however, that those who claim to be pro-“choice” would oppose laws that provide women more information and options.

Such legislation combats the dangerous reality that again, an overwhelming majority of women who have abortions are not fully informed or counseled about alternatives, and feel rushed or uncertain; and an alarming 78 percent are pressured, and even 64 percent are coerced. Thus, it is deceptive propaganda to claim abortion is pro-“choice” or empowering to women.

When given real choice by pro-life groups, however, such as being provided ultrasounds and the truth about their babies’ development and risks to their own health caused by abortion, 80 percent of women choose life. In addition, safe and ethical clinics outnumber Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics and provide more healthcare services; and pro-life groups provide support and resources such as baby supplies, free parenting classes, financial and housing help many years after birth.

The abortion industry pushes the dangerous at-home abortion pill regimen, sometimes without an exam to confirm pregnancy or gestational age. Even some college campuses have the potentially fatal drugs available in vending machines. There is no physician present, and women are at risk for allergic reactions to the chemicals, severe hemorrhage, infection, and even death. Thousands of women have been hospitalized, requiring blood transfusions, and sadly, dozens have died. The abortion industry dishonestly markets the dangerous regimen as “safe,” private access for women’s healthcare, but with severe complications and side effects, it is anything but safe.

Despite the risks, Planned Parenthood’s percentage of medical abortions has increased, prioritizing profits over patient safety, and perpetuating misogynist double standards that pregnant women and mothers are less profitable or successful, and thus more expendable, unless they abort their children, which also implies men can avoid responsible fatherhood and partnership by women undertaking the traumatic choice to abort.

Additionally, Planned Parenthood does not show women ultrasounds of their babies, and only performs an ultrasound if a woman is aborting, merely to confirm gestational age to determine price for the abortion.

However, in what staunch pro-life Governor Matt Bevin called a historic pro-life legal victory, Kentucky’s House Bill 2 requiring women be allowed to see ultrasound images while hearing the fetal heartbeat was ruled constitutional.

Opponents to the bill wrongly claim giving moms more medical information requires doctors to push ideology, but it is the withholding of information from women of scientific facts regarding their babies’ development that is dangerously ideological. Women who wish may look away or request the volume turned off. Even legal sources that should be apolitical, instead push ideology, falsely logging the bill as “anti-choice” and describing it as “forced ultrasound”. However, pro-life laws allowing women to be fully informed before making such a major decision gives women more choice.

Judge John K. Bush, appointed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Trump, ruled that “disclosure of truthful, non-misleading, and relevant information about an abortion” and the information provided by an ultrasound is “pertinent” to a pregnant woman’s decision-making.  

In his ruling, Judge Bush states, “The information conveyed by an ultrasound image, its description and the audible beating fetal heart gives a patient a greater knowledge of the unborn life inside her. This also inherently provides the patient with more knowledge about the effect of an abortion procedure: it shows her what or whom she is consenting to terminate.”

Abortion must deny the science of fetal development and the right of women to be fully informed.

The abortion pill is administered up to ten weeks, when babies have unique DNA and blood type since conception, a heartbeat, brain activity, fingerprints, gender-specific reproductive organs and genitalia; all organs function, and babies can smile, suck his or her thumb, yawn, react to touch and feel pain. In fact, an 8-week baby incredibly has already developed over 90 percent of anatomy found in adults.

The abortion pill regimen begins with administering mifepristone, which blocks progesterone and destroys the uterine lining that nourishes the baby, virtually starving the baby to death. The second pill, misoprostol, is administered 24-48 hours later, and induces severe cramping and contractions that will expel the dead baby at any time and place; many women will sit on a toilet and are advised to flush their baby. If a mother looks closely, she may see her baby and even be able to count fingers and toes. The painful and traumatic experience can harm women’s mental health as well, including depression, substance abuse, nearly 50 percent suicide rate (higher in teens), and 65 percent suffer PTSD.

The recent film Unplanned, the story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life advocate, depicts an accurate scene of the horrors and dangers of the abortion pill regimen. Heavy bleeding, cramping and contractions can last several weeks, and emotional harm can take years to heal. Abortion clinics offer no follow up care and are not equipped for emergency complications. By contrast, pro-life groups offer women counseling and healing resources.

The new laws introduced in North Dakota, Nebraska, Arkansas and Kansas join other states including South Dakota, Idaho and Utah that require women be informed that the abortion pill regimen can be reversed after mifepristone is administered, the sooner the better. Reversal has a 64-68 percent success rate, and no increased risk of birth defects, and even less premature births. If the baby is determined viable, a large dose of progesterone is administered to reverse the damaging effects of mifepristone; then, progesterone is continued to be administered throughout the first trimester, and the mother is referred to a help center throughout the remainder of her pregnancy.

The 24/7 abortion pill reversal hotline (1-877-558-0333) has saved hundreds of lives, in 45 states and thirteen countries.

Administering progesterone can not only save the baby’s life, but also helps prevent potential harm to the mother’s physical or mental health as well. Chemical abortions can be even more dangerous than surgical abortion, and failed chemical abortions compound the risks to women who are then subjected to additional surgical abortion.

Interestingly, since the release of the film Unplanned, Option Line, run by Heartbeat International’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network, has seen a 30 percent spike in calls from women seeking to reverse abortions or to learn more information to help spread awareness about abortion pill reversal.

Such piqued interest bolsters pro-life principles that the more fully informed women are, the more they seek options to choose life, and that real women’s rights empower mothers with truth, truly safe healthcare options, and support.