It’s why the American Pregnancy Association is here
The American Pregnancy Association is about a woman’s right to information and education. Whatever their situation, wherever they are in their lives, women want to be informed so they can make the best decisions based on their unique circumstances. People find the American Pregnancy Association because they have a question, “am I pregnant,” “how do I get pregnant,” “is this bleeding normal?” When they search a question on Google or other search engines one of our medical source-cited articles may appear. If they need to speak with someone, they can call our 800 helpline or chat online with us. We talk about the full range of pregnancy issues, plus we help her get started with breastfeeding, diapering and other postnatal topics.
Yes, we inform about abortion, and options to abortion
As part of our mission to provide information to women about pregnancy, our goal is to provide unbiased information about all considerations, including abortion methods and side effects, as well as other options such as choosing parents for their child through adoption.
She is entitled to that information. And 32 states agree which is why they have a state Woman’s Right to Know Act.
When a woman is talking with us about her pregnancy, she is seeking information and encouragement about taking the next right step for her. If you received a surprising diagnosis such as a blocked artery or a growth said to be a tumor, you’re next steps include confirming the diagnosis, determining therapies and programs to preserve your life. Likewise, a positive pregnancy test must be confirmed (which is why we refer to centers for a free test and ultrasound), options for preserving life discussed and safety net programs reviewed. Would a cancer patient go directly to a euthanasia provider? No! They would go to an oncologist for life-saving therapy.
What are those safety nets?
There are many resources and organizations that support women with unplanned pregnancies and they are listed on our website, plus our pregnancy educators share this information. Click for a list of resources for pregnant women.
Consider Adoption as an option
Let’s look at this as a case of “supply and demand.”
The “demand” for babies:
There are no firm national statistics on how many people are waiting to adopt, but experts estimate it is somewhere between one and two million couples. (Adoption Network)
Add to that
The inability to conceive affects 6.7 million women in the U.S. – about 11 percent of the reproductive-age population. (National Survey of Family Growth, Centers for Disease Control). If one-third of these couples considered adoption that would be 2,211,000 couples desiring to adopt.
That means every year, there are more than 2 million couples desiring to adopt a child.
The “supply” of babies:
It’s difficult to determine the exact number of abortions. Many sources say 1.3 million but the Centers for Disease Control says it received reports of 629,898 abortions in 2019, the last full year of available data. They admit the “actual number is likely far higher” because reporting is voluntary and excludes California, Maryland and New Hampshire. A model-based approach developed by researchers from the Guttmacher Institute, World Health Organization and United Nations puts the average annual number of abortions in the U.S. around 886,000. So let’s use their admittedly conservative number.
More than two million couples want to adopt a baby. 886,000 babies are unwanted and are aborted. Only 4% of women with unwanted pregnancies place their children through adoption. That’s only 35,440. Adoption Network
That means 850,560 babies who are unwanted by their biological parents are desired by two million couples willing to adopt them.
When demand outstrips supply (think about today’s housing market) the value goes up. In this case, adopting couples are willing to support their pregnant mom by paying for her living and healthcare expenses, and even her education.
If more women with unwanted pregnancies knew about the benefits of adoption, plus the financial support they could receive through their pregnancy, more babies could live and thrive.
That’s why we explain the adoption as a choice.
Abortion pill reversal
Occasionally, we receive calls from women who have taken mifepristone, the first of two drugs that comprise “the abortion pill.” They’re calling us because after taking this first pill, they have changed their mind and do not want to continue with the abortion. We’ll tell them about the Abortion Pill Rescue Network and explain the protocol.
The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved the abortion pill reversal protocol. But consider this, the protocol uses bioidentical progesterone and is based on approved protocols to support pregnancies. When a woman has experienced miscarriage or is going through an IVF process, the healthcare provider will prescribe progesterone supplementation to help support the pregnancy. This has been a standard protocol for decades. References:
- The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecologic
- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine
It’s true the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) doesn’t support the abortion pill reversal protocol. But, consider what ACOG states in their practice bulletin, published in October 2020 warning abortion providers:
To avoid administering depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), a progestin-only birth control, on the same day that mifepristone is administered.” ACOG states that doing so reduces the efficacy of the chemical abortion and increases the chances of embryonic and fetal survival by 4 times (0.9% vs 3.6%), even after the woman has taken the second drug, misoprostol. “Patients who select depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) for contraception should be counseled that administration of DMPA on day 1 of the medication abortion regimen may increase the risk of ongoing pregnancy.”
The progestin provided in DMPA is notably less effective than natural progesterone and given at a much lower dose as compared to the bioidentical progesterone provided in the APR protocol, but still has a significant impact on fetal survival. Translation: there is enough progesterone in a birth control pill to save a fetus that has been exposed to mifepristone. That is an indirect statement saying the abortion pill reversal process works.
The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) supports the procedure and in its public statement on abortion pill reversal, states three important things:
- Progesterone has been safely used during pregnancy for decades without undesired effects. (Many physicians agree but only when it is used properly.)
- For those infants who survive mifepristone, there is no evidence of birth defects associated with the medication. (ACOG itself has research confirming this).
- The efficacy of reversal is, in fact, higher than “sitting and waiting” alone (7- 40%, depending on gestation) to see if a pregnancy continues (this is based on small studies, but this is because there is a small population that chooses reversal in the first place).
Want to Know More?
Our site contains hundreds of medically sourced articles about the pregnancy journey. Simply search the keyword you seek. Plus you’re welcome to call or chat with us. If we can’t fully answer your questions, please consult your healthcare provider.
You can find your state’s website by searching “women’s right to know” and your state. The website should include an explanation of the law, what medical professionals should tell you about various procedures, a list of ultrasound providers and more.
Do you agree a woman has the right to information? Please consider a donation to support this mission.
