Abortion reversal uses the hormone progesterone to stop a medical abortion.
This method is unproven, and medical experts do not recommend it.
Deciding what to do with an unintended pregnancy is likely one of the most challenging decisions anyone can make. Estimates show that 1 in 4 women in this situation will choose to end a pregnancy. Some women may decide to end their pregnancy easily. For others, it’s more difficult. But once they reach a decision, most women do not change their minds.
However, there are reports of women who have changed their minds and were able to “reverse” their medical abortion. We’ll explain what that means and what experts have to say about it.
How is an ‘abortion-reversal pill’ supposed to work?
First, it helps to understand how a medical abortion works. It uses two different medications, dosed over 2 to 3 days:
The first medication is mifepristone. This stops the pregnancy by blocking the hormone progesterone. Progesterone is necessary for a pregnancy to grow.
The second medication is misoprostol. This is taken 24 to 48 hours after mifepristone. It causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy.
Advocates for medical abortion reversal suggest that taking progesterone after mifepristone — and before misoprostol — would undo the effects of mifepristone. Since mifepristone works by blocking progesterone, they believe that taking progesterone can stop a medical abortion.
