Abortion On Our Own Terms advocates for self-managed abortions (SMA), an abortion procedure involving a two-drug cocktail. ¹ It is a project of Progress Florida Education Institute (PFEI), an abortion-advocacy and generally left-of-center group based in Florida. ²

In 2018, The Arabella Advisors-managed group New Venture Fund listed Abortion On Our Own Terms as a project under its advocacy umbrella. That year, New Venture Fund gave $25,000 to PFEI’s sister group Progress Florida to fund “health” initiatives. ³

Self-Managed Abortions

SMAs are chemical induced abortions conducted using a Food and Drug Administration-approved two-drug process which combines misoprostol and mifepristone. Abortion advocates argue that the process helps women independently secure abortions as pro-life laws continue to make progress in some states, and as the U.S. Supreme Court considers abortion laws and regulations. Opponents point to the ending of the unborn child’s life, and how women who choose SMA are not being cared for by a medical professional should the mother be harmed during the process. ⁴

Some abortion advocates and opponents have said that abortions may be undercounted in the United States because Centers for Disease Control and Guttmacher Institute surveys count abortions reported by abortion centers. However, an analysis by the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute noted that this is likely a minimal undercount, since few Americans use SMAs. ⁵

Funding and Leadership

No independent information about finances or staff is on Abortion On Our Own Terms’ website. The site was launched by Progress Florida Education Institute in tandem with three videos advocating for abortion, including SMAs. ⁶ Amy Weintraub is reproductive rights program director for Progress Florida Education Institute, and was cited as a source for an article about the group’s abortion push. She is a longtime abortion advocate and left-wing organizer, including putting together the 2017 Women’s March in St. Petersburg, Florida. ⁷⁸

Mission and Advocacy

Abortion On Our Own Terms partners with established organizations to promote its advocacy. Its website mostly consists of generalized information about Self-Managed Abortion politics, policy, and advocacy. For example, its “Barriers to SMA” page discusses how pro-life laws prevent women from killing their unborn children through SMAs. ⁹

Its “Resources” page includes no internal analysis, research, or advice. The resources are links to outside groups’ work. ¹⁰

Its Facebook page likewise acts as a news source more than a self-initiated advocacy tool. ¹¹

Progress Florida Education Institute

Abortion On Our Own Terms is just one of several abortion projects under Progress Florida Education Institute. The group and its sister entity Progress Florida helped launch a 50-member initiative in 2016 called Floridians for Reproductive Freedom Coalition. ¹² It also advocates for left-leaning social policy, voter activation, and environmentalist priorities. Its revenues totaled over $430,000 in 2017. ¹³

1. Abortion on our own terms, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://abortiononourownterms.org/
2. Progress Florida Education Institute, “Times have changed: It’s time for abortion on our own terms,” Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.progressfloridainstitute.org/article/times-have-changed-its-time-abortion-our-own-terms
3. Influence Watch, New Venture Fund 2018 990, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/11/New-Venture-Fund-2018-Form-990.pdf
4. Sarah McCammon, “With abortion restrictions on the rise, some women induce their own,” September 19, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.npr.org/2019/09/19/759761114/with-abortion-restrictions-on-the-rise-some-women-induce-their-own
5. Rachel Jones, Megan Donovan, “Self-managed abortion may be on the rise, but probably not a significant driver of the overall decline in abortion,” November 7, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2019/11/self-managed-abortion-may-be-rise-probably-not-significant-driver-overall-decline
6. Abortion on our own terms, Videos, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sNhSKTzhVZw5VfAUFYziosJDZsgGZkyg/view
7. Progress Florida, “Introducing Amy Weintraub,” March 2018. Accessed January 20, 2020. https://progressflorida.org/press/2018/03/introducing-amy-weintraub
8. Jacob Ogles, “Progress Florida videos show pills – not hangers – aiding home abortion,” November 1, 2019. Accessed January 20, 2020. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/310075-progress-florida-videos-show-pills-not-hangers-aiding-home-abortion
9. Abortion on our own terms, “Barriers to self-managed abortions,” Accessed January 20, 2020. https://abortiononourownterms.org/barriers-to-self-managed-abortion/
10. Abortion on our own terms, Resources, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://abortiononourownterms.org/resources/
11. Facebook, Abortion on our own terms, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/abortiononourownterms/
12. Progress Florida Education Institute, About, Accessed January 20, 2020.

    https://www.progressfloridainstitute.org/about

13. ProPublica, Progress Florida Education Institute 2017 990, Accessed January 20, 2020. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/454469756/08_2019_prefixes_45-46%2F454469756_201806_990_2019080216539083