Woman in her 40s felt 'scared and pressured' by Marie Stopes when quizzed about 'abortion reversal' treatment she received from pro-life medic

• The woman, in her 40s, sought help from NHS consultant Dr Dermot Kearney  
• He had been ordered by the medical regulator to stop prescribing progesterone 
• He now faces a full 'fitness to practise' hearing, where he could be struck off 
• But last night the woman told how she felt MSI had 'twisted' her experience 

A vulnerable woman has told the General Medical Council she felt 'scared and pressured' when the medical director of a major abortion provider quizzed her about 'abortion reversal' treatment she received from a pro-life doctor.

The woman, a mother in her 40s, sought help from NHS consultant Dr Dermot Kearney after she started a 'pills by post' abortion, but then changed her mind.

Dr Kearney prescribed the sex hormone progesterone, which some doctors believe can reverse the effects of the first abortion pill, called mifepristone, if taken soon afterwards.

In May, The Mail on Sunday revealed the stories of two women who gave birth to healthy babies after being helped by Dr Kearney.

We also told how he had been ordered by the medical regulator to stop prescribing progesterone for 'abortion reversal', after a complaint was made by abortion provider MSI Reproductive Choices UK, which was previously known as Marie Stopes International.

He now faces a full 'fitness to practise' hearing, where he could be struck off the medical register.

MSI contacted the woman while gathering evidence for its complaint to the General Medical Council (GMC). But last night the woman told how she felt MSI had 'twisted' her experience with Dr Kearney to suit its complaint, and felt 'pressured' to criticise him.

In her case, progesterone failed to work and she suffered a miscarriage the day after taking the abortion pill. A few weeks later, she says she got a phone call 'out of the blue' from MSI's medical director, Dr Jonathan Lord, enquiring about the abortion reversal treatment she had received. He also sent an email.

The woman, who stressed she found Dr Kearney 'professional, kind and compassionate', said the contact left her feeling unsettled.

In a witness statement to the GMC, prepared in legal proceedings supported by the Christian Legal Centre, she wrote: 'I felt scared and pressured by him at a time I was vulnerable and ill.

'I feel that Marie Stopes are to blame for what has happened to me and I do not wish to be used by them in some sort of complaint against Dr Dermot.'

MSI has claimed Dr Kearney inappropriately prescribed progesterone for a use which has 'no evidence base' behind it, acted outside his clinical competence, and imposed his anti-abortion beliefs on patients. Its complaint was based on information from several of its patients who tried 'abortion reversal', including the woman.

In his email, Dr Lord said other patients had 'raised concerns' about progesterone treatment 'and when this happens we have a duty to report those concerns to the medical regulator, the GMC'.

He added: 'As it involves protection of potentially vulnerable people, they have a legal right to compel us to release identifying information.'

Last night Dr Lord said: 'We have been approached by the GMC about an investigation they are conducting into concerns arising from abortion reversal treatments.

'Given that this is an active investigation it would be inappropriate for us to comment on this. However, we would like to make it clear that there is no evidence that supports the concept of abortion reversal treatment.'

He added: 'If we find out a client has concerns about their treatment, we will always try to contact them and would urge them to speak to us so we can investigate and learn from any concerns.'