BOISE - An Idaho Senate panel has advanced a proposal requiring doctors to inform women seeking medical abortions that drug-induced abortions may be halted halfway through, despite physicians saying there's little evidence or science to back up that idea.
Proponents of the idea say doctors can give a woman the hormone progesterone to stop an abortion after she has taken the first of two medications needed to complete the abortion.
"There is a time period between the first and second drugs that are taken for that process," said Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian. "There's a time period there where a woman may change her mind and decide that she doesn't want to go through with the abortion."
It's a procedure Rebekah Buell decided to under go after starting the abortion process.
"It was absolutely my choice, but it was a choice I made out of fear panic and in crisis," she said. "Immediately after taking that very first abortion pill....I changed my mind. And I felt regret and grief and guilt and I just wanted this baby more than anything."
She said it worked for her and she now has a healthy son.
Meanwhile, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said that there is no medically accepted evidence that a drug-induced abortion can be interrupted.
"There are no scientific studies that say this procedure is safe and effective," said Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise. "It must be safe. I think far too often we prescribe or suggest for protocols that have not been completely vetted, I am really concerned about the outcomes."
"We want patients to have accurate medical information," said Misty Tolman, Legislative Director, Planned Parenthood Votes. "We think all patients should be able to go to their medical physician understanding they're being told information that has passed lengthy peer reviewed processes and is on the cutting edge of medical advancement. And this bill does nothing to provide women with that information."
Utah, Arkansas and South Dakota have already enacted such requirements.
The Senate State Affairs Committee agreed to send the bill to the Senate floor Monday with just the two Democratic members opposing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.