A US-based medical network which specialises in assisting women reverse the effects of the first abortion drug and save their unborn child has seen a surge of emergency calls during the Coronavirus lockdown.

The Abortion Pill Rescue Network, consists of over 900 medical professionals and the helpline is staffed 24 hours a day seven days a week by a team of consultants.

A chemical abortion is performed using two abortion drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol. The network works with women who have taken the first abortion drug, mifepristone, and no longer wish to take the second drug and stop the abortion.

A spokesperson for the network has now confirmed that across the month of March, the abortion pill reversal helpline has seen a record number of calls, with over 80% of callers beginning a reversal process in an attempt to save their unborn child.

The network believe that a woman should never be coerced into starting or continuing an abortion.

How does abortion pill reversal work?

Some women may change their minds about proceeding with abortion even after Mifepristone has been taken. Many women seek assistance to help them preserve their unborn children. Medical treatment to help them, using Progesterone, is available.

When effective, Progesterone inhibits the effects of Mifepristone, preventing abortion from taking place in many cases.

Information provided to SPUC by Dr Dermot Kearney stated: “Some women change their minds about proceeding with abortion even after Mifepristone has been taken. A number of women in this situation in the UK have sought assistance to help them preserve their pregnancies.

“Medical treatment to help them, using Progesterone, is available…The treatment is also safe for both the developing foetus and the mother.

“Progesterone has been used safely for decades in attempting to help women to preserve pregnancy in cases of threatened miscarriage….If she changes her mind after taking Mifepristone and seeks help, receiving Progesterone in a timely manner within 72 hours after taking Mifepristone, there is a 64-68% chance that the pregnancy will successfully continue to term.”