A controversial bill regarding abortion passed the Arizona Congress last week.
The provision calls for women electing medical abortions to be told that the process can be reversed, and bans women from buying insurance that pays for abortions on the federal health exchange.
The bill passed the Senate in an 18-11 vote, and the House with a 33-24 vote. Women's rights and physicians' groups called for Gov. Doug Ducey to veto the bill, while pro-life groups support the measure.
Medical abortions involve taking mifepristone (RU-486) or methotrexate, followed by misoprostol days later. If a woman forgoes the misoprostol, there is a 30-50 per cent chance that her pregnancy will continue, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOGC).
Pro-life gynecologist Dr. George Delgado began offering a progesterone shot to women who wanted to continue their pregnancy after taking the first abortion medication, and found that four out of six went on to deliver healthy babies. Other clinics offer the same "abortion reversal" treatment.
The newly passed bill mandates that doctors tell patients that if they regret their decision after taking the first pill, they should return to their doctors for a "reversal." Cathi Herrod, president of the conservative Center for Arizona Policy, praised the bill's passing.
"This is a great day for women in Arizona who are considering getting an abortion to get all the facts they need and a great day for Arizona taxpayers," she told Reuters.
The ACOGC contended that the progesterone shot is unnecessary, and recommended simply telling patients not to take the second pill.
"Even if these doctors were to offer a large dose of purple Skittles, they'd appear to have 'worked' to 'save' the pregnancy about half the time," gynecologist Dr. Ilana Addis said. "There is no science to support this.
"ACOG does not support advising women on treatments that are not evidence-based," she continued. "These women would be unknowing and unwilling guinea pigs."
