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(LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic healthcare provider that offers chemical abortion reversals is suing the government of Colorado over a law that denies the option to women having second thoughts about disposing of their babies.
Earlier this month, Democrat Gov. Jared Polis signed into law SB23-190, allegedly to address the so-called “deceptive trade practice [of] pregnancy related service[s]” that specialize in life-affirming alternatives to abortion.
“A health-care provider engages in unprofessional conduct or is subject to discipline in this state if the health-care provider provides, prescribes, administers, or attempts medication abortion reversal in this state, unless the Colorado medical board, the state board of pharmacy, and the state board of nursing, in consultation with each other, each have in effect rules finding that it is a generally accepted standard of practice to engage in medication abortion reversal,” the law says. The new rules are to be finalized and take effect by October 2023.
The abortion pill mifepristone (better known as RU-486) works by blocking the natural hormone progesterone that developing babies require to survive. Abortion pill reversal (APR) consists of administering extra progesterone to counteract mifepristone’s effects, ideally within 24 hours of taking the abortion pill.
Represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Catholic health clinic Bella Health & Wellness has filed a lawsuit challenging the law, arguing that it targets providers acting on a religious conviction to serve pregnant women who change their minds about abortion, under penalty of crushing fines of as much as $20,000 per violation as well as risking their staff’s medical licenses.
“We opened Bella because of our belief that life is a precious gift from God, worthy of protection at all stages,” said Dede Chism, NP, who co-founded at Bella with her daughter Abby Sinnett, NP. “When a woman seeks our help to reverse the effects of the abortion pill, we have a religious obligation to offer every available option for her and her child.”
“All we want is to continue our ministry of serving expecting mothers in need, regardless of circumstance,” added Sinnett. “In their most vulnerable state, a pregnant woman needs to know that she and her unborn child will be treated with the utmost dignity and care.”
Detractors argue that APR is harmful and unproven, but as pro-life OB/GYN Dr. William Lile has explained, the technique is based on principles that are well understood from progesterone’s common, FDA-approved use in a variety of other pregnancy-related situations. APR has helped “thousands,” according to Heartbeat International, which also publishes first-hand testimonials from women who have benefited from the technique. According to the Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN), “initial studies of APR have shown it has a 64-68% success rate.”