On December 16, 2021, the FDA reported that they are permanently removing the in-clinic dispensing regulation for abortion pills which permits the pills to be sent via mail without an in-person visit. This means that mothers will take the pills at home, possibly alone, without first being examined by a doctor. In April 2021, the FDA issued a statement that they were temporarily allowing abortion pills to be dispersed by mail due to Covid-19. This most recent announcement changes that allowance from temporary to permanent. Prior to April 2021, the FDA required that abortion pills be administered in-person at qualified clinics or hospitals where a woman’s pregnancy term could be correctly assessed, an ultrasound performed to rule out complications such as an ectopic pregnancy, and where emergency care could be given in case a complicacy or abortion pill failure took place. The FDA removed the in-person requirement stating that the action did not raise “serious safety concerns”. But is this accurate? Are abortion pills really the quick, safe option as proponents claim?
There is a common misconception that abortion pills are the same as Plan B. Plan B are levonorgestrel pills that can be purchased at most drugstores. Levonorgestrel is a synthetic hormone that can work as an abortifacient. It prevents a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall. Plan B must be taken within 5 days of having unprotected sex. Life begins at conception, also known as fertilization. Because Plan B prevents the fertilized egg from implantation, which is necessary for a sustainable pregnancy, it is a form of abortion.
Abortion pills, also called a non-surgical abortion, a chemical abortion, or a medical abortion, are two pills taken up to 10 weeks after the first day of a woman’s last period. It consists of two pills, Mifepristone and Misoprostol. Mifepristone (also referred to as RU-486) is taken first. Mifepristone works by blocking progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that prepares the lining of the uterus for implantation and prevents uterine contractions. By blocking progesterone, the uterine lining begins to break down and blood and nourishment are unable to reach the baby. This causes the baby to die from starvation and suffocation. Misoprostol is taken 24-48 hours after Mifepristone. Misoprostol (also called Cytotec) works in conjunction with Mifepristone to cause intense cramps, contractions, and bleeding to force the deceased baby out of the uterus. This process is not just heavy cramps as many supporters of the abortion pill claim. A chemical abortion can be extremely painful and intense with the process lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days. At some point during this strenuous process, the outcome is the dead baby being expelled from the mother’s body. The most common place that a mother will lose her baby is on the toilet where she will have to face disposing of her lifeless child, just as she would human waste. If the abortion pills fail, the mother is usually offered a surgical abortion.
Women who undergo a medical abortion are advised that once the baby has been eliminated from her body, the cramping and bleeding will slow down and pass after a couple of days. In actuality, a woman can bleed for 9-16 days with some women bleeding as long as 30 days. Often, a woman will have to go to the hospital due to severe bleeding and/or other complications. Abortion advocates claim that abortion pills are safer than Tylenol. But this is not factual. Some of the side effects of the abortion pills are hemorrhaging, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, and low fevers. More serious adverse reactions include infection, infertility, fallopian tube rupture, and/or death. These more severe complications usually occur due to a portion of the baby or placenta still being in the uterus, an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy, or a woman being further in her pregnancy term than she or her doctor presumed.
The truth is that this “safe” abortion procedure will end the life of a preborn baby and a mother will face the trauma of miscarrying her baby, as well as any negative side effects, alone placing her at a higher risk for grave complications and/or death. Allowing the abortion pills to be prescribed to women without an in-person doctor visit drastically increases the medical risks as doctors will only have a woman’s guess or word to estimate how far along she is in the pregnancy and they will not be able to scan for an ectopic pregnancy. At least 24 women have died from the abortion pills, and since many states (including California) do not report abortion complications, that number is most likely higher. Proponents of abortion push the narrative of how devastating it will be for a woman to die from complications due to a “back-alley abortion”. Yet they are silent when it comes to the women who have died or who may die or suffer life altering ramifications from legal abortion. The FDA’s stance in permanently removing the in-person dispensing requirement for the abortion pills is not only negligent but also extremely dangerous to mothers and preborn babies.
The abortion industry is not transparent in giving women all the facts so that they can make an informed decision. They neglect to counsel women of the physical and mental health risks associated with abortion. Women who have undergone an abortion have a high probability of experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts or actions, substance abuse, and/or other mental health issues. The truth is that there is no such thing as a “safe” abortion as it kills a child and often injures the mother. Additionally, expectant mothers are not told that the abortion pill can be reversed. However, it can only be reversed before the second pill, Misoprostol, is taken. Often a mother will take the first pill and immediately regret her decision. Contacting the clinic or doctor who prescribed the pills usually results in the mother being told that it is too late to change her mind or that the pills cannot be reversed. Again, this is untrue. Progesterone administered following the first pill can reverse the efficacy of Mifestrone. Progesterone is not a guarantee that the mother will not still lose her baby but it has been used by medical professionals to save 64-68% of pregnancies. The sooner progesterone is administered following the Mifestrone, the better the chance of saving the baby. Once a woman has taken the second pill, Misoprostol, the medical abortion cannot be reversed. If a mother is unable to obtain a reversal from the doctor who prescribed the abortion pills, she can contact the abortion pill reversal 24/7 hotline at (855) 209-4848 or go to www.reverseabortionpill.com or she can contact her local pregnancy center to see if they can assist in referring her to a doctor.
For additional information:
www.reverseabortionpill.com
Life Light does not refer for or provide abortions, abortion services, or the abortion pill.