Government victimises women – prohibits abortion pill reversal protocol

Media Release 23 September 2022 Right to Life asks why are women seeking an early medical abortion being lied to by the government and doctors?

Right to Life requests that the Minister of Health, Andrew Little direct that women undergoing an early medical abortion be advised that if they change their mind after taking Mifepristone they can save the life of their child by following the abortion pill reversal protocol with progesterone.

Right to Life is concerned that the Ministry of Health is providing misinformation to women that condemns her unborn child to death by chemical poisoning and the mother to a lifetime of grief, sorrow and remorse. Why is the government colluding with the abortion industry that is adamantly opposed to women changing their mind and choosing life for their child?

There were 4,774 early medical abortions in New Zealand in 2020. It is an appalling scandal that all of these women were told that,” once you had started the medication you cannot stop or reverse the abortion”.

The Ministry of Health advised Right to Life on 30th March 2022:

“ the Abortion Clinical Guidelines provide clear information that abortions cannot be reversed and this practice is not supported in New Zealand.”

This incorrect information is also on the Ministry’s web site for the Decide National Abortion Telehealth Service. “You can change your mind about having an abortion at any time before it takes place , if you are having an early medical abortion . Once you have taken the medication you cannot stop or reverse the abortion”.

This information is blatantly untrue, the abortion pill reversal protocol developed in the United States provides treatment with progesterone for a woman who has taken Mifepristone and before she has taken Misoprostol, it has a success rate of 64% in saving the life of the child. Since 2012 more than 2,500 babies have been saved following the use of this life saving protocol.

Pharmac has announced that from 1st December, progesterone will be fully funded.

Pharmac, in reply to a request from Right to Life, confirmed that it would fund any prescription from a doctor for progesterone to reverse a medical abortion. This is great news for women in New Zealand who change their mind after taking Mifepristone and want to choose life for their child.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have stated that if a woman has taken Mifepristone to kill her unborn child and changes her mind, but if she does not take the Misoprostol and takes no further action, then her baby has a 60% chance of survival.

Why are women not being told this fact?

There are 23 States in the United States that have legislation requiring that women undergoing an early medical abortion be advised of the abortion pill reversal protocol.

Women have a right to be fully informed about the abortion pill reversal protocol and their absolute right to change their mind and choose life for their unborn child.

Ken Orr,

Spokesperson,

Right to Life, NZ Inc.