Catholic Health Clinic Claims New Colorado Abortion Law Violates Freedom of Religious Expression and Speech

This week the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado heard arguments in a case challenging the legality of a recently passed law prohibiting abortion pill reversal as treatment for women who begin a chemical abortion but have a change of heart and wish to save their babies from abortion.

The abortion lobby, intent on taking choice away from women, fast-tracked a bill that prohibits Colorado doctors from prescribing progesterone to women who begin a chemical abortion and come to regret their decision.

A chemical abortion, or medication abortion, is a two-step process. The first pill, mifepristone, prohibits a baby’s further development and eventually kills it. The second pill, misoprostol, expels the baby from the mother’s body.

Women who begin a chemical abortion but change their minds within 72 hours of taking the first pill may be able to reverse the abortion with a treatment of progesterone. The same medication has been given for decades to women who wish to become pregnant or have high risk pregnancies.

Abortion pill reversal has a success rate of 64%.

Within days of the new Colorado law being signed into law, Bella Health and Wellness, a Catholic health clinic in Colorado that offers abortion pill reversal treatment, filed a lawsuit claiming the new law violates their freedom of speech and religious expression.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a public interest law firm specializing in advocacy for religious freedom, represents Bella Health and Wellness in the lawsuit.

Bella Health and Wellness claims the new law is not neutral or generally applicable, and instead specifically targets religious viewpoint for negative treatment. They also claim it unlawfully violates a patient’s right to receive information and medical treatment.

The federal judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order on the law as it applies to Bella Health and Wellness while legal action is pursued—which allows the clinic to continue serving women who wish to reverse their chemical abortion.

Laura Wolk Slavis, counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said in a statement,

“Colorado’s new law is the opposite of choice—it targets women who have changed their minds and forces them to undergo abortions they want to stop. This law tramples the constitutional rights of these women and their doctors. We are grateful for the court’s late-night order halting this draconian law, allowing our clients to continue their good work of serving women in need.”

In a legal response, Colorado’s Attorney General argued that the state would not enforce the law until rulemaking is completed, no later than September 2023. It seems that after the lawsuit was filed, regulators met and voted not to enforce the new law until the rulemaking was completed.

Now the Colorado Attorney General claims there is no real threat of harm to Bella Health and Wellness or its clients; therefore, the organization no longer has standing to bring suit.

Federal Judge Daniel Domenico heard arguments in this case on Monday, April 24.

It’s unclear when he will issue a ruling in the case and whether or not the request for a permanent injunction will be granted.

The current temporary restraining order expires on Friday, April 28.

Dede Chism and Abby Sinnett, cofounders of Bella Health and Wellness, said in a statement,

“We believe that pregnant women who come to us hoping for a second chance at life for their child deserve the utmost respect and care in the choice they have made for their baby’s life. We are grateful for the late-night order allowing us to continue this work and are hopeful that the court will ultimately allow us to continue to serve these women. No woman, let alone her unborn child, should ever be turned away from the life-affirming healthcare they choose.”

The case is Bella Health and Wellness v. Weiser.

The Daily Citizen will keep you apprised of important developments in this case.

Some women, after taking the first abortion pill (mifepristone), come to regret their decision. Thankfully, there is a way to reverse the pill’s effects if prompt action is taken. 

To learn more about the abortion pill reversal protocol, visit abortionpillreversal.com or call 1-877-558-0333 to be connected with a medical professional who can guide callers through the process of reversing the pill’s effects.

Additionally, if you’re struggling and need a listening ear, Focus on the Family offers a free, one-time counseling consultation with a licensed or pastoral counselor. To request a counseling consultation, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) or fill out our Counseling Consultation Request Form.

Photo from Bella Health + Wellness.