Abortion Pill Reversal

You may have heard the abortion pill is an easy way to end an unplanned pregnancy. However, not only is there more than one pill involved, there are several possible side effects and risks. For your health and safety, it's important to make an informed decision.

The process begins with the drug mifepristone, which blocks the hormone progesterone and cuts off nourishment to your pregnancy. The second drug, misoprostol, is typically taken 24-48 hours later to cause bleeding and cramping to expel the pregnancy.

Reported side effects have included:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Pain in abdomen, chest, breasts, muscles, back and joints
• Anemia
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Uterine rupture, which increases with gestational age

(Sources: Mayo Clinic, RxList)

It is important to have doctor supervision when considering any type of abortion.

A number of pre-existing conditions could disqualify you from obtaining the abortion pill, including if you:

• Are too far along in the pregnancy
• Use an intrauterine device (IUD)
• Have allergies to the drugs used in the pills
• Have a medical condition such as heart, blood vessel, liver, kidney, or lung diseases
• Suspect ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside of your uterus)
• Use blood thinners or steroid medications

If you are pregnant, you can schedule a free ultrasound at Waterleaf to determine the gestational age, location, and viability of your pregnancy before considering any type of abortion.

When you are pregnant, your body produces progesterone to nourish your pregnancy. When you take the first abortion pill, mifepristone, it starts the abortion process by blocking progesterone to terminate your pregnancy. The Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) process replenishes progesterone. This acts as an antidote to mifepristone so your pregnancy can continue. APR is most effective if started within 24-72 hours of taking the first pill (mifepristone) and the second pill (misoprostol) has not been taken.

Many women report successful pregnancies after abortion pill reversal treatment. Statistically, 64-68% of pregnancies proceed to term after women start the APR process. The sooner you start treatment, the higher the possibility of successfully continuing your pregnancy. Research also reveals that neither mifepristone nor progesterone have been shown to cause birth defects. The progesterone used in APR treatment is the same as progesterone used by physicians during pregnancy for the past fifty years.

When you call Waterleaf for abortion pill reversal, a nurse will see you as soon as possible.

At your appointment:

• The nurse will speak with you, explain every step of the process, and answer your questions.
• An ultrasound is performed to verify that your pregnancy is still viable. The sonographer will look for a fetal heartbeat, the location of the pregnancy, and determine gestational age.
• If the ultrasound reveals your pregnancy is viable and you choose to continue the reversal process, a doctor will prescribe progesterone for you. You will usually take the progesterone in a pill form by mouth, but sometimes it is taken vaginally or by injection.
• The reversal treatment will usually continue throughout your first trimester of pregnancy.

If you’ve changed your mind after taking the first abortion pill (mifepristone), or even if you’re just unsure about continuing the process, your first step is to not take the second pill (misoprostol). Even if the clinic who provided you with the pills told you that you must take the second pill, do not take them. Misoprostol induces bleeding and cramping, causing your body to expel the pregnancy. Your next step is to contact Waterleaf or the Abortion Pill Rescue hotline right away. They will help you at no cost, providing information about the pills, the reversal process, and your options.

For immediate help, contact:

• Waterleaf at 630-701-6270 or text 630-360-2256. All correspondence is completely confidential.
• or call the Abortion Pill Rescue hotline at 877-558-0333 for a medical provider in your area.