An Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant, Dr Talemoh Wycliffe Dah, has said that abortion can be reversed depending on the method used and age of the pregnancy.

The clarification came on the heels of distortion in some quarters on issues around abortion. He cautioned against wrong and distorted claims.

Dr Wycliffe-Dah said that abortion reversal is scientifically proven. He noted that reversal cannot be achieved in 100% of cases. He also said that reversal medications do not cause anomalies.

His words: “Abortion is a process from a beginning to an ending. Depending on the method used and age of the pregnancy, the process may last for minutes to days. At some point it is reversible or, more appropriately, can be halted. Beyond some point, it becomes inevitable. Halting it depends on the cause. A disease causing fever will lead to abortion but if the disease is treated before it becomes inevitable, the process will stop and the pregnancy will continue (i.e reversed). Any abortion process from a stressful situation may reverse if the stress is removed. Stress can be psychological or physical.

“People make decisions based on the facts and emotions they have at any given time. These may include refusal of partner to take responsibility, insistence of husband that she must abort the pregnancy, job requirements, school policies, etc.If these facts and emotions change during the abortion process, the woman may change her mind before it becomes irreversible. Sometimes the method fails to achieve the abortion and the woman changes her mind after that.

“About 10 to 20% of all pregnancies will miscarry naturally. Depending on the cause, medical personnel have for decades tried (many times successfully) to prevent or reverse the process. In the earlier times, some of the medications have led to the development of anomalies in the surviving babies. For example, Diethyl stilboestrol, an oestrogen, was linked to the development of abnormalities of limb development (amelia, phocomelia, etc) but it is not currently in use. Medications currently used have passed through robust clinical trials that make it very rare to see anomalies occurring in the salvaged baby.

“Progesterone (pro gestation) is the main hormone that supports pregnancy after fertilization. When we feel an embryo is sick, we give progesterone especially if it is due to lack or deficiency of it. If the cause of a natural abortion (miscarriage) is due to anomalies, it will not stop it. If it is started artificially with modern medications, it can be very effective especially because some of the medications act by antagonizing the body progesterone.

“Geometrically increased progesterone production occurs immediately after ovulation even before fertilization. This increase continues as the placenta which produces it increases in size till the level of progesterone is 1000 times or more. The embryo and fetus are therefore used to high levels of progesterone. The current progesterone used is very similar to the one in the body. Thus a high dose of progesterone administered to manage/halt the process of abortion can help reverse the process without damage or health implications to both the woman and foetus.

“Reversal cannot be achieved in 100% of cases. Those that are salvaged may develop anomalies because they were meant to be because of the genetic makeup or because of the medications that were used for abortion ab initio which may not be the scientifically tested ones.

“However, before undergoing an abortion, proper counseling will ensure she knows what she is doing or has decided and the likelihood of change of mind will be less. Counseling by a trained person is helpful to all cases of unwanted pregnancies.”