Written by Options RN, Louise Hall
Last updated: 12/18/25
You might have heard of abortion pill reversal, sometimes abbreviated APR, in the news. Groups like Planned Parenthood say it is unproven, unscientific, and harmful to women and babies. Others in politics are trying to pass laws to prevent the prescription of APR by doctors, nurses, or midwives. But what is the truth about abortion pill reversal? How does it work, and is it really safe? Let’s find out!
Abortion pill reversal was developed by Dr. George Delgado in the mid-2000s. He realized that mifepristone, the first pill in the abortion pill regimen, blocks the body’s progesterone receptors causing low hormone levels. Progesterone is required for a pregnancy to continue and grow, so blocking the receptors causes death to the growing, developing embryo. The plan was to give bio-identical progesterone to women who changed their minds after taking mifepristone. If progesterone levels are high enough, they can bind to the progesterone receptors again, allowing the pregnancy to continue.
The incredible thing about abortion pill reversal is that the treatment isn’t new. Bio-identical progesterone is prescribed quite often by OB-GYNs and midwives to prevent miscarriage, and has been since the 1950s. What is new is prescribing it after a woman has taken the first abortion pill, mifepristone.
So, how effective is abortion pill reversal? Well, depending on the study, it is anywhere from 64-68% effective. This means that if 10 women took the first abortion pill and changed their minds and tried APR, then we would expect 6 or 7 of the babies to live.
Are there concerns about abortion pill reversal? For the mother, not very many. Since the progesterone is in the same form as the body naturally makes, she shouldn’t have any major reactions. The most common side effects are tiredness, nausea, stomach upset, and headaches. The main concern that needs to be considered is if the mom has a peanut allergy, then there is a special way the progesterone needs to be given since some forms are kept stable using peanut oil. What about for the baby? No, there are no known concerns. In fact, babies born after APR are less likely to be born prematurely and have no increased risk of birth defects compared to babies who mom’s never needed APR. That’s pretty remarkable!
If all of this is true, why are people against abortion pill reversal? Honestly, it’s hard to know for certain. Some of those who are the most upset about APR are the ones who claim to be pro-choice. Logically though, wouldn’t choice include the desire to change one’s mind? Additionally, many critics cite a 2019 study by Mitchell Creinin that claims that APR is dangerous, but when reading the study carefully, the results showed that mifepristone caused an increased risk for bleeding, but taking progesterone actually decreased that risk. Clearly then, mifepristone is reversible, and the method of reversal using progesterone is safe and effective.
If you, or someone you know, has taken the first abortion pill and changed your mind, you can call the Abortion Pill Rescue Network’s 24/7 hotline at 877-558-0333 or visit the website AbortionPillReversal.com to start the abortion pill reversal process. If you pursue reversal, a pregnancy center near you, such as Options PRC, can offer you no-cost ultrasounds to confirm your baby still has a heartbeat and is growing while you continue your reversal treatment.
