Unlike a surgical abortion, RU-486 or chemical abortion is a process that generally lasts several days. Therefore a woman may have the opportunity to stop its progress and reverse its effects after only taking the first pill, without harming her unborn child.

Abortion Pill Reversal

Prescribing bio-identical progesterone can reverse the effects of mifepristone. This reversal treatment works by out-competing mifepristone for the progesterone receptor sites until the mifepristone is no longer in the system.

Progesterone is a natural female hormone. It stimulates the growth of the uterus, causes maturation of the endometrium, inhibits myometrial contractions, builds breast tissue and strengthens the cervix. Called “the pregnancy hormone,” it is essential before and during pregnancy. Following a successful implantation, progesterone helps maintain a supportive environment for the developing fetus. After 8 to 10 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta takes over progesterone production from the ovaries and substantially increases progesterone production.

Progesterone has been safely used to support pregnancies for over 60 years. All of the available evidence strongly supports its safety when used in pregnancy.

In an observational case series* of 754 patients who decided to attempt to reverse the medical abortion process after taking mifepristone but before misoprostol and were prescribed progesterone to support the pregnancy, the researchers concluded that “the reversal of the effects of mifepristone using progesterone is safe and effective.”