Heartbeat International announced in a press release this week that more than 8,000 babies have been saved through its Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN) since its founding in 2008. The announcement comes amid a continued national rise in medication abortions, as abortion drugs are increasingly distributed through telehealth services and mail-order prescriptions.
The APRN connects women to licensed medical professionals who can prescribe progesterone after a woman has taken mifepristone, the first drug in a chemical abortion regimen. When administered quickly, progesterone may counteract the effects of mifepristone and help sustain the pregnancy.
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Heartbeat International President Jor-El Godsey stated that the milestone reflects individual stories, not just statistics.
“Each life saved reflects a woman who had a change of heart and was met with immediate, compassionate medical care,” Godsey said in the release. “In a culture that moves at the speed of a click, our response must be just as fast. The Abortion Pill Rescue Network is here so that no woman who regrets starting a chemical abortion feels alone or without options.”
The abortion pill regimen involves two drugs: mifepristone, which blocks progesterone needed to sustain pregnancy, followed by misoprostol, which induces uterine contractions.
According to Heartbeat International, the chances of reversal success are highest when treatment begins within 24 hours, though successful reversals have occurred later.
A 2018 peer-reviewed study cited by the organization reported reversal success rates between 64% and 68%, with no increased rate of birth defects and a lower preterm delivery rate than the general population.
Christa Brown, Heartbeat International’s director of medical impact, noted progesterone’s long-standing medical use.
“Progesterone has been used in pregnancy care for decades,” Brown said. “The Abortion Pill Rescue Network ensures that women who change their minds have access to licensed medical professionals who can respond quickly. Time matters, and so does accurate information.”
Recent national data show that chemical abortions now account for the majority of abortions in the U.S., according to the release.
As Zeale News previously reported, pro-life activists last month sent a letter to President Donald Trump to put more regulations in place on chemical abortions. The letter details the dangers of prescribing mifepristone by telemedicine, including the risk of abuse and coercion.
Even pro-abortion activists are concerned about the lack of regulations surrounding chemical abortions, Zeale News has reported. Roughly six in 10 of the 1,600 (mostly pro-choice) respondents in a recent survey said they believe the drug combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is “unsafe” or were unsure of its safety.