Written by: Lindsay Bruggeman
If you’ve been paying any attention, messages about the abortion pill have likely been flooding your view. Whether it’s claims from abortion supporters that this is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy, or claims from pro-life advocates that this it is a growing problem for women to have easy access to these pills, this is certainly something that should be on your radar.
Regardless of which side of the issue you’re on, if you care about women and their safety and health, you should absolutely oppose the way the abortion pill is being promoted to young women in our society. The battle is ongoing between Democrats and Republicans to flip and flop the legality of the sale of the abortion pills online. The reason this is such a big deal is because women are now able to get and take the pills without a medical professional’s guidance.
I had heard this many times from several sources but I wanted to verify that it was actually this easy to order the pills. I decided to try ordering a chemical abortion on the internet and see it with my own eyes. With a simple Google search, I quickly had about a dozen options for providers at my fingertips. I chose one at random and began entering my name and address. With only about 5 minutes of my time and nothing more than my basic shipping and payment information, I was one click away from receiving a dose of Mifepristone and Misoprostol to my door in 12-15 business days. (I was not pregnant, I just wanted to see if it was really that easy…it was.)
There are many reasons why this is alarming. For starters, let’s look at my particular situation. When ordering a chemical abortion online, I was not required to verify my age or provide proof of pregnancy. In Ohio, it is illegal for a minor to obtain an abortion without parental consent. It is also illegal for an abortion to be performed without a provider first doing a check for a fetal heartbeat. That means it is possible for a minor to obtain these drugs without an adult or medical professional knowing, or verifying the pregnancy. What happens if their gas station test was a false positive and they put these drugs in their body without actually being pregnant?
Next, let’s consider the process that a girl or young woman will face, often alone, in her bathroom during the abortion. While websites like Planned Parenthood’s will say that these women can expect nothing more than a heavy period, so often they face something much worse. If you haven’t watched the movie, “Unplanned” in which Abby Johnson shares her experience with both a surgical and chemical abortion, I highly recommend it. She felt betrayed by comparing what Planned Parenthood told her to expect to what she actually experienced. It is not uncommon for the bleeding from this procedure to last for weeks afterward. Why don’t abortion providers tell us that?
As Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, said, “Chemical abortions should have more medical oversight, not less.” There are reasons that there are laws in place against getting these drugs so easily. It is because they are dangerous and women deserve proper medical attention. Why aren’t these regulations being enforced?
Honestly, when faced with the decision of whether or not to have an abortion, what women deserve more than anything is the care, support, and empowerment that they receive at Women’s Centers of Ohio and other pregnancy resource centers. So often women facing this decision feel like abortion is the only option. They feel that factors such as cost and support are forcing them into it. Imagine their reaction when they find out that there are so many resources available to them! That’s exactly why over 80% of the abortion-minded and abortion-vulnerable women that came into our centers chose life last year.
There is so much more out there surrounding this topic. To the point that writing this post was not only overwhelming but also quite infuriating. The lies that are being touted in the interest of women’s rights and women’s health are, quite frankly, insulting to me as a woman. I want to encourage you to do more research, dig deeper, and become educated on this topic. If you are passionate about women getting the truth, being empowered, and treated with care and respect, then there are a few things you can do to make that happen:
- Become an advocate: Get educated and then educate others. There’s always going to be another person that doesn’t know the truth about the dangers of the abortion pill and the lies that surround it. Imagine the ripple effect you could create by speaking out.
- Support a pregnancy resource center: These centers are nonprofits that can always use financial contributions, material contributions, volunteers, and most importantly, prayer.
- Follow the money: Are you supporting brands that fund abortions by donating to organizations such as Planned Parenthood? Maybe they’re endorsing candidates that advocate for abortion or aren’t passing the legislation and enforcing the laws to protect women from the lies. Stop funding them. Boycotting brands may seem too insignificant to make a difference but I promise you it does, and you taking that stance may just inspire someone else to do it as well.
When it all comes down to it, one of the most important thing you can do to combat the evils of abortion is to get educated. Knowing the facts about what is going on will enable you to recognize propaganda and advocate for those who need your help the most. I hope this piece provided you with some of that education and even more desire to do some research on your own.
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