California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against Heartbeat International (HBI), a national pro-life organization, and RealOptions Obria (RealOptions), a chain of five crisis pregnancy centers located in Northern California. The case has been filed in the Alameda County Superior Court.
The lawsuit alleges that both entities spread false and deceptive claims in promoting abortion pill reversal (APR) and aims to prevent HBI and RealOptions from advertising APR. In reality, the science backs the claims of the pro-life organizations while AG Bonta’s arguments lack credibility.
“Those who are struggling with the complex decision to get an abortion deserve support and trustworthy guidance — not lies and misinformation,” said Attorney General Bonta. “And let me be clear: the evidence shows that the vast majority of people do not regret their decision to have an abortion…HBI and RealOptions took advantage of pregnant patients at a deeply vulnerable time in their lives, using false and misleading claims to lure them in and mislead them about a potentially risky procedure. We are launching today’s lawsuit to put a stop to their predatory and unlawful behavior. I urge any Californian seeking information related to reproductive care to visit our Reproductive Rights website, which lists programs and resources that can provide the accurate, timely, and reliable help they need.”
AG Bonta’s press release goes on to say that proponents of APR “falsely claim” that administering high doses of the hormone progesterone within 72 hours of taking the abortion drug mifepristone can effectively and safely reverse the effects of mifepristone.
He asserts that “There is absolutely no scientific basis to support such a claim.” This is obviously not true (read scientific evidence here). But pro-life organizations don’t claim progesterone is 100 percent effective. “Initial studies of APR have shown it has a 64-68% success rate,” said Real Options. “However, the outcome of your particular reversal attempt cannot be guaranteed.”
Further, Bonta’s press release states, “Despite the lack of scientific basis and lack of certainty about its safety, HBI and RealOptions falsely and illegally advertise APR as a valid and successful treatment option, and do not alert patients to possible side effects, such as the risk of severe bleeding.”
He fails to mention that chemical abortion itself has health risks for women. Mifepristone and misoprostol put women at risk for infection, injury, loss of fertility, depression, and other life-threatening complications. They also have a higher rate of dangerous side effects than surgical abortions.
If a pregnant woman who has taken mifepristone changes her mind about abortion, APR presents an alternative avenue to respect her choice to change her decision.
Between 24 and 72 hours after taking mifepristone, but before the administration of misoprostol, a medical provider overseeing APR prescribes bioidentical progesterone to counteract the effects of mifepristone.
Many doctors, including board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Ingrid Skop, vouch for the safety and efficacy of APR. “If you consider the name, progesterone, that’s a pro-gestational hormone that is high in pregnancy,” Skop said. “It is standard medical care to give progesterone during pregnancy for a number of indications…Progesterone is extremely safe in pregnancy.”
The Charlotte Lozier Institute released a comprehensive report titled “Abortion Pill Reversal: A Record of Safety and Efficacy.” This report offers a thorough examination of the chemical abortion process and the practice of Abortion Pill Reversal (APR).
The Lozier report references two notable studies, PROMISE and PRISM, which were published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. These studies established that progesterone therapy significantly enhances the rate of live births, particularly for women who have experienced multiple prior miscarriages. Further, neither of these studies identified any safety concerns associated with progesterone therapy.
Pro-abortion organizations have been condemning the use of APR for years by baselessly claiming that it is dangerous in order to advance their radical pro-abortion agenda. AG Bonta is simply doing the same.
Women deserve to know about their options and have access to life-saving medication. There is no logical or scientific reason for AG Bonta to sue these pro-life organizations. It seems that his motives are merely political.
