ACOG must produce documentation relevant to CA AG's lawsuit against pregnancy centers

(Pregnancy Help News) An Illinois judge has granted Thomas More Society’s motion to compel the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to produce certain documents and communications pertaining to Abortion Pill Reversal (APR).

The legal non-profit called the order “a major victory” in California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit to “silence pro-life pregnancy centers.”

In The People of the State of California v. Heartbeat International and RealOptions Bonta alleges that Heartbeat International and RealOptions Obria Medical Clinics take part in false and misleading speech in promoting the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol. 

Heartbeat is the largest network of pregnancy help organizations in both the U.S. and internationally. RealOptions is a group of five pregnancy centers in California.

ACOG is known for its pro-abortion stance and opposition to APR.

Bonta filed his lawsuit in 2023.

APR is an updated application of a treatment used since the 1950’s to combat miscarriage. It consists of prescribing bioidentical progesterone to counter the effects of the first drug in the two-pill chemical abortion process.

A 2018 peer-reviewed study showed positive results with APR, including that 64%-68% of the pregnancies were saved through the treatment, there was no increase in birth defects, and there was a lower preterm delivery rate than the general population. The Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN), managed by Heartbeat International, reports that to date more than 7,000 lives have been saved thanks to the APRN. 

Thomas More Society explained the October 29 order in a statement:

The order compels ACOG to turn over records concerning its public statements opposing Abortion Pill Reversal (APR), as well as communications between ACOG and California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office relating to Bonta’s lawsuit. The subpoena, which ACOG must now answer, also requires them to turn over communications between the professional membership organization and two abortion researchers who constructed studies seeking to discredit APR.

Thomas More Society said that Bonta’s lawsuit was politically motivated and that discovery in the case had shown that “ACOG and State of California personnel strategized on APR messaging, and the Attorney General’s office conceded during argument that Bonta is relying on the ACOG statement to support his case.”

Leadership at Heartbeat International welcomed the Illinois court’s order.

“Big Abortion has long included ACOG leadership, even though the vast majority of obstetricians and gynecologists do not perform abortions,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International. “It's no wonder that abortion-supporting ACOG had to be compelled to respond to the subpoena in our California case.”

“We know the truth supports Abortion Pill Reversal and are grateful for every opportunity to reveal it,” he added.

Heartbeat's General Counsel said that ACOG’s stance on APR is telling.

“If ACOG truly believed its position on Abortion Pill Reversal could withstand scrutiny, there would be no need to resist producing the evidence supporting its claims,” Danielle White said. “Instead, ACOG went so far as to ask the court to shield it from basic transparency, which only underscores how difficult AGOC's position is to justify. We’re grateful for the court’s ruling and look forward to the truth finally coming to light.”

Christa Brown BSN, RN, and senior director of Medical Impact for Heartbeat International, lauded the order as a victory for truth over ideology.

“Despite thousands of lives saved, ACOG has long disparaged the value of APR and undermined a woman's right to continue her pregnancy after taking the abortion pill,” Brown said. “ACOG has a history of conspiring with Big Abortion. This is a win for those seeking medical truth and not political ideologies.”

ACOG has 28 days from the date of the order to produce the documents.