Federal Court Protects Colorado Catholic Clinic's Abortion Pill Reversal Care

A federal court ruled that Bella Health and Wellness, a Catholic clinic in Colorado run by nurses Dede Chism and Abby Sinnett, can continue offering abortion pill reversal treatment despite a 2023 state law banning the practice. The law classified abortion pill reversal as an unprofessional conduct and deceptive trade practice, effectively prohibiting the use of progesterone to counteract the effects of the first abortion pill. U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico found that the law violated the nurses' religious rights and that the state failed to demonstrate a compelling interest to regulate the treatment. While the clinical efficacy of abortion pill reversal remains contested, no harm from the treatment was demonstrated, and multiple women have given birth after receiving it. The ruling permanently blocks enforcement of the ban against Bella Health but does not invalidate the law itself or apply to other clinics. The decision was celebrated by the clinic's founders and their legal representatives, who emphasized the importance of allowing women to access life-affirming care aligned with their beliefs.