The Science

Abortions can take place in two ways:

1. Surgical: which takes place in a hospital in Ireland and.
2. Medical: which involves taking abortion pill medication either at home, in a GP surgery, or in hospital.

A medical abortion involves taking two separate pills:

1. The first one is mifepristone, and it blocks the effects of progesterone. (Progesterone being the natural hormone in a pregnant woman’s body which enables the pregnancy to succeed).
2. The second one is misoprostol and is usually ingested a couple of days later.

After a pregnant woman has taken mifepristone, if she takes progesterone it can reverse the effects of the first pill, and enable to pregnancy to continue safely, thus preventing an abortion.

Academic Studies

Whilst there is limited data available which documents the success rate of abortion pill reversal treatments, there is some evidence to suggest that abortion pill reversal is safe and largely effective for both mother and baby.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published in its April 2020 journal in relation to a study on abortion pill reversal that:

“The authors’ limited data show that giving progesterone after mifepristone is safe. The significant safety concerns were in the placebo arm only. Moreover, regarding the efficacy of progesterone, the limited data showed that progesterone was effective in preserving embryonic life. Four of the 5 (80%) patients who received progesterone had continued gestational cardiac activity.”