Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, Maranda thought the abortion pill mifepristone was her only option. The young woman felt unprepared for motherhood, and the baby’s father didn’t want the child.
But Maranda soon began to question if she had made the right decision, and her regret led to an online search. Thankfully, on the New Hope Family Services (Syracuse, NY) website, Maranda was able to learn how FDA-approved progesterone supplements could counteract the hormone-blocking effects of mifepristone.
New Hope Family Services subsequently referred Maranda to an onsite medical professional who treated her free of charge. The treatments using progesterone ”which physicians may legally prescribe in New York” saved her unborn child’s life. Maranda’s healthy baby girl was born seven months later.
This scenario with a happy conclusion would not have been possible, however, if New York Attorney General Letitia James had her way. James is seeking to stop pregnancy centers in New York from sharing abortion pill reversal information and referrals. James has sued several faith-based pregnancy centers, alleging”despite scientific evidence to the contrary”that the centers are spreading “false and misleading” information about progesterone treatments.
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), a legal organization that represents pregnancy centers, said James is unlawfully targeting pro-life pregnancy centers. In a press release, NIFLA noted that the abortion pill reversal information that pregnancy centers provide is supported by multiple studies; Progesterone is a natural hormone needed to sustain pregnancy and has been used for decades to prevent miscarriage and forestall preterm labor safely and effectively.
On May 24, NIFLA filed suit against the New York attorney general for using her power to censor pro-life pregnancy centers in regards to abortion pill reversal information; Such actions from a government official violate the pregnancy centers’ First Amendment rights to speak freely and practice their religious beliefs. Attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom filed the federal lawsuit on behalf of two New York pregnancy centers, Gianna’s House (Brewster, NY) and Choose Life (Jamestown, NY). The testimony of Maranda’s experience with abortion pill reversal is included in the official court document.
“New York is intentionally denying women the freedom to continue their pregnancies by censoring those who promote it. They are forcing women to follow through with an abortion “even if they don’t want to,” said Thomas Glessner, president and founder of NIFLA. “How does it even remotely make sense to trust women with their medical decisions if you are actively trying to hide scientifically based information from them? It makes no sense, nor is it legal.”
In related litigation, the Thomas More Society also filed a suit against James in response to her legal action and claims that pregnancy centers provide false and misleading information. On April 30, attorneys from the Thomas More Society filed a case with the Supreme Court of the State of New York on behalf of Heartbeat International, CompassCare, and a collective of pregnancy help organizations.
“New York Attorney General Letitia James has decided to proceed full steam ahead with her witch hunt against New York’s pregnancy help organizations,” said Peter Breen, the Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation at Thomas More Society. “Delivering on her threat of lawfare against our life-affirming clients, Ms. James has filed a baseless lawsuit to unconstitutionally silence their pro-life message. In doing so, Ms. James is seeking to keep in the dark women who desire to urgently try to continue their pregnancies.”
Breen said Attorney General James should follow the science and face the facts regarding progesterone treatments.
“Abortion pill reversal is a safe and effective option for pregnant mothers who have taken the first abortion pill, immediately regret it, and seek to save their unborn babies’ lives,” he said. “We will strenuously defend our clients’ right to offer facts, as well as hope, to women in their most difficult circumstances.”