Abortion pill reversal: My experience trying to undo abortion pill
When my boyfriend and I found out I was pregnant, we were terrified. Even though we had successful jobs, we enjoyed the flexibility we had, and we were scared to give up the life we knew.
I consulted a friend who told me she had an abortion as a teenager, and it had been a good decision for her. I thought maybe it would be a good decision for me, too.
I called a Planned Parenthood that was within driving distance but outside of the city where I lived. I wanted to go somewhere secluded and private.
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When I went to my first appointment, it was a very transactional experience. I had my first ultrasound, but I didn’t get any information about my pregnancy, except that I was seven weeks along. I didn’t get to see the monitor or an image of my baby. I didn’t have anyone explain to me the growth process of my baby at that time or what my body was going through.
In the next room, a staffer explained how I would take the necessary pills for an abortion. I was told to take one pill at the appointment and then one three to four hours later. If I had any questions, they said I should go to my local urgent care.
I then went into a third room, where I was given the first abortion pill. They handed me a brown paper bag with the next pill and sent me on my way.
When I left, I immediately felt regret and an overwhelming feeling that I had not made the right decision.
In desperation, I went online and searched, “What happens if I don’t take the second abortion pill.” I ended up coming across a website for Heartbeat International that mentioned something called abortion pill reversal.
I called the phone number on the website and was immediately connected with a medical professional. She spent time talking to me about my medical history, pregnancy, and the abortion pill reversal process. She was able to call in a prescription to begin the abortion pill reversal and recommended I go to a local pregnancy resource center after I picked it up.
I nervously walked into the local pregnancy resource center, where I was greeted by a woman named Kathleen. I told her how anxious I was and that I didn’t know what to do. She sat with me, let me cry, and listened as all of my emotions bubbled to the surface.
Kathleen made me feel heard.
I told Kathleen that I wanted to know more about abortion pill reversal. She was open and transparent about what I would go through — physically and emotionally, and — if I decided to proceed.
The transparency and honesty that Kathleen showed me was not something I had received at Planned Parenthood.
Another woman at the center, Darlene, showed me around the center and told me about the range of services and support I could access, such as donated baby supplies and therapy support groups. She then showed me this beautiful wall with photos of babies who had been saved by the abortion pill reversal.
I told Darlene that I would put a photo of my baby on that wall.
That was only the beginning of my relationship with the pregnancy resource center. During those first few months of my pregnancy, they checked on me regularly as I continued the abortion pill reversal. The center gave me my first ultrasound, my prenatal vitamins, and growth scans while I waited to get an appointment with an OB/GYN closer to my home.
They made those first few months so much easier, and I knew they were always a phone call or text away.
I kept the pregnancy and what I had been through very private and only told a select group of friends, many of whom were skeptical of the abortion pill reversal because they hadn’t heard about it before.
I knew that as soon as I told my parents I was pregnant they would be overjoyed. I didn’t want to dampen their excitement by telling them I had initially decided to have an abortion, so it took me awhile to tell my family what had happened.
My boyfriend was the one who encouraged me to be open about it because it truly was a miracle that, nine months later, our son Leo was born.
I am still in touch with the pregnancy resource center today. Their team came to my baby shower and my son’s first birthday. They met my family, and, in many ways, they are my extended family.
Leo just turned two in April. He loves trucks, dinosaurs, and Spider-Man. We have two dogs, and they love to chase Leo around the house. Every day, he is learning something new. Everyone calls him my miracle baby.
Even though the process wasn’t easy and at times I didn’t know if it would work, I knew I wanted to try my absolute hardest to save my baby. The abortion pill reversal and the support of my local pregnancy resource center made that possible and are the reason my son is alive today.
Krystle Arce is a proud mother and business owner who lives in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
