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Non-profit

Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice

Website:

obstetriciansforreprojustice.org/
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Type:

Pro-Abortion Advocacy
Formation:

2022
Founders:

Jenn Conti

Heather Irobunda

Jennifer Lincoln

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice is a pro-abortion advocacy group that seeks to overturn anti-abortion legislation on the grounds that such legislation is detrimental to women’s health. Founded by three obstetricians as a response to the Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, this group’s primary focus is on women who suffered pregnancy complications but were unable to obtain abortion following the passage of pro-life legislation in some states. Its website has a portal asking women who have experienced health injuries by being denied abortion to share their stories, but as of May 2023 only features the story of one woman, its spokesperson Amanda Zurawski. 1

ORJ collaborates with the Meteor arts collective, which has hosted speaking events featuring its co-founders and spokesperson. The Meteor’s Youtube page also features Zurawski’s story. ORJ is funded through left-of-center fiscal sponsorship organization Build Up Inc. 2

Advocacy

Abortion Training Funds Initiative

In conjunction with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice launched the Abortion Training Funds Initiative. This program provides up to $2000 for travel, lodging, and licensing fees for medical students seeking out-of-state training and certification in abortion procedures. 3

Beatriz v. El Salvador

In 2013, a 21-year-old El Salvadoran woman pseudonymously referred to as “Beatriz” was informed early into her pregnancy that her child was going to be born with severe, fatal birth deficiencies; the fetus had developed without a brain or skull. The situation was further complicated by Beatriz’s poor health, as she suffered from lupus, arthritis, and kidney disease. After being refused an abortion by local doctors due to El Salvador’s ban on direct abortion, she appealed to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IAHCR), a judicial oversight group that intervenes in human rights cases in 20 countries throughout North and South America. The El Salvadoran government later agreed to deliver the child prematurely by C-section, and it died a few hours later. Although Beatriz herself died as a result of a motorcycle accident four years later, the details of the case have resulted in an IAHCR investigation about the possible violation of her human rights. 4

Seizing upon this case to make inroads against El Salvador’s anti-abortion laws, pro-abortion groups, including ORJ, have rallied together against that nation’s government. United States Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA) proposed a resolution for the United States Congress to support the suit of Beatriz’s parents against El Salvador; ORJ endorsed this proposal on Twitter on March 23, 2023. 5

Walgreens

On March 6, 2023, ORJ stated on Twitter: “Walgreens hates women. Pass it on.” This was in response to an announcement by Walgreens drugstores that it would no longer sell the abortion drug Mifepristone in states where it had been outlawed. In response to backlash from outside groups and figures including California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), the company responded, “We intend to be a certified pharmacy and will distribute Mifepristone only in those jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally feasible.” 6 7

Idaho Maternal Mortality Committee

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of maternal mortality in Idaho increased from 5 to 11 deaths. ORJ accused the state of Idaho of downplaying maternal health after it chose not to renew its Maternal Mortality Review Committee, an investigative oversight group founded in 2019. 8 9

People

Jenn Conti, Heather Irobunda, and Jennifer Lincoln are the co-founders of Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice. All three are obstetricians, and they created the group in response to the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which had asserted a nationwide right to legal abortion. Jennifer Lincoln is also the founder of ThreeForFreedom, a website that facilitates online sales of abortion pills and contraception. These three founders were featured speakers at The Meteor’s “Meet the Moment” series on November 12, 2022. 10

Amanda Zurawksi is a spokesperson for ORJ. Following complications in her pregnancy she was denied an abortion by doctors in Texas due to recently passed anti-abortion legislation, subsequently became ill, and had to have labor artificially induced. In addition to being featured on ORJ’s website and Twitter page, the three co-founders of ORJ gave an interview to the Meteor explaining the medical details surrounding her case. She was also a guest of First Lady Jill Biden during the 2023 State of the Union address. 11 12 13

References

  1.  “Our Mission.” ORJ. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://obstetriciansforreprojustice.org/#:~:text=Our%20Mission&text=Our%20goal%20is%20to%20go,reproductive%20justice%20in%20the%20forefront.
  2. “Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice.” Build Up Inc. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://buildupinc.org/portfolio/obstetricians-for-reproductive-justice/
  3. ORJ. “Abortion Training Funds.” Twitter. March 2, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://twitter.com/OBs4RJ/status/1631350142728310785
  4. Mahtani, Naomi. “Beatriz v El Salvador:  The Landmark Case…” El Pais. March 23, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-03-23/beatriz-vs-el-salvador-the-landmark-case-that-could-change-the-most-restrictive-abortion-laws-in-the-americas.html
  5. ORJ. Twitter. March 24, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://twitter.com/OBs4RJ/status/1639309480658878465
  6. ORJ. Twitter. March 6, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://twitter.com/OBs4RJ/status/1632870017523146752
  7. Meyeersohn, Nathaniel, Hassan Carma. “Walgreens Will Not Distribute Abortion Pills in 20 States.” CNN. March 3, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/03/business/abortion-pills-mifepristone-walgreens-pharmacies/index.html
  8. Moseley-Morris, Kelcie. “Report: Deaths Among Pregnant Women More Than Doubled in Idaho in 2020.” Idaho Capital Sun. December 12, 2022. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/12/12/report-deaths-among-pregnant-women-in-idaho-more-than-doubled-in-2020/
  9. ORJ. Twitter. April 17, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://twitter.com/OBs4RJ/status/1648125938725695488
  10. “Meet Your Icons Meet the Future.” The Meteor. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://wearethemeteor.com/meet-the-moment/
  11. The Meteor. “The United States of Abortion: Texas.” Youtube. October 18, 2022. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfY3EWj_YU&t=9s
  12. Grumet, Bridget. “Austinite Amanda Zurawski Among First Lady’s Guests at Biden’s State of the Union Address.” Austin American-Statesman. February 7, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2023/02/07/amanda-zurawski-state-of-the-union-biden-speech-texas-abortion-law/69881615007/
  13. Carpentier, Megan. “You Can’t Just Tell Someone to Go Home…” The Meteor. Accessed May 5, 2023.  https://wearethemeteor.com/incompetent-cervix-obstetricians-for-reproductive-justice/
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