Women's Health Policy

ABORTION IN THE U.S.

KFF infographic explaining who regulates mifepristone, showing four entities and their roles: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves and regulates medications for safety and effectiveness; state legislatures pass laws that can restrict or protect access; courts rule on legal cases affecting regulation; and Congress can pass federal legislation influencing regulation.

Louisiana v. FDA: Access to Mifepristone Back at the Supreme Court

Louisiana sued the FDA in October 2025, claiming the FDA’s 2023 regulatory change eliminating the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in-person—allowing it to be mailed or dispensed at retail pharmacies—harm the state's ability to enforce its abortion ban. This brief reviews the Louisiana v. FDA case now before the Supreme Court, and provides an overview of the other pending litigation involving mifepristone, as well as the mounting tension between states seeking to protect abortion and those banning the provision of abortion.

CONTRACEPTIve care IN THE U.S.

New and noteworthy

Over-the-Counter Oral Contraceptive Pills

In July 2023, the FDA approved Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive pill to become available over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s prescription. This issue brief provides an overview of OTC oral contraceptives and laws and policies related to insurance coverage.

featured

A promotional image for the the KFF Health Policy 101 Issues in Women’s Health chapter

Health Policy Issues in Women’s Health

Examine the core health coverage and access issues —shaped by federal and state policies—that affect women’s health today, including health coverage and costs, reproductive health services, maternal health, mental health, and intimate partner violence.

State Profiles for Women’s Health

Explore the latest national and state-specific data and policies on women’s health. Topics include health status, insurance and Medicaid coverage, use of preventive services, sexual health, maternal and infant health, and abortion policies. Many indicators provide state-level information for women of different racial and ethnic groups.

The essentials
  • Women’s Health Insurance Coverage

    This factsheet reviews major sources of coverage for women residing in the U.S., discusses the ACA's impact on coverage, and the coverage challenges that many women continue to face.
  • Medicaid Coverage for Women

    This data note presents key data points describing the current state of the Medicaid program as it affects women, including eligibility, reproductive health, chronic conditions, and more.
  • Dobbs: What are the Implications for Racial Disparities?

    This analysis examines the implications of the Dobbs decision and state restrictions on abortion coverage for racial disparities in access to care and health outcomes.
  • State Health Facts: Women's Health Indicators

    Information on women’s health status, utilization of services, health insurance coverage, family planning and childbirth, and abortion statistics and policies.
  • Key Facts on Abortion in the United States

    This report answers some key questions about abortion in the United States and presents data collected before the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

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  • Medicaid Programs in the South and Southwest Cover a Higher Share of Births

    Feature

    Medicaid Programs in the South and Southwest Cover a Higher Share of Births Download Source Sonfield, A., Kost, K., Benson Gold, R., & Finer, L.B. (2011). The public cost of births resulting from unintended pregnancies: National and state-level estimates. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 43(2): 94-102

  • Medicaid Enrollment Among Women Varies Between States

    Feature

    Medicaid Enrollment Among Women Varies Between States Download Source Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of Urban Institute estimates based on March 2012 Current Population Survey, Census Bureau

  • National Survey Of Obstetricians/Gynecologists On Contraception And Unplanned Pregnancy: Attitudes And Practices With Regard To Abortion

    Poll Finding

    National Survey Of Obstetricians/Gynecologists On Contraception And Unplanned Pregnancy: Attitudes And Practices With Regard To Abortion The survey findings show only one third of obstetricians/gynecologists practicing today perform abortions. Younger doctors, doctors in multi-specialty group practices, and doctors practicing in the South and Midwest are among those least likely to perform abortions. The survey also finds that many of the physicians who do not perform abortions say they would, however, offer Mifepristone, if approved by…

  • Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — May 2012

    Feature

    The May Health Tracking Poll focuses on the public's perceptions and reactions to women's reproductive health reemerging as a heated issue in policy debates and news and its potential impact on the upcoming presidential election. Three in ten women (31 percent) overall believe that there is currently a "wide-scale effort to limit women's reproductive health choices and services, such as abortion, family planning, and contraception" in the U.S. A larger share (45 percent) say there…

  • Abortion Policy on the Global Stage: Unpacking the Trump Administration’s Newly Expanded Mexico City Policy

    Event Date:
    Event

    On Friday, January 23, 2026, the Trump administration released the latest expansion of the Mexico City Policy (MCP). The controversial policy, which had restricted foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from performing or promoting abortion as a method of family planning as a condition of receiving most U.S. global health aid, has been broadened significantly to include more organizations (not just foreign NGOs) and most U.S. foreign aid. Also, the policy now prohibits activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as support for gender-affirming care and services, and legal protections based on gender identity (among other activities). This move marked the most significant expansion of the MCP in more than 40 years — extending its reach far beyond the policy’s expansion during Trump’s first…

  • Employer Coverage of Travel Costs for Out-of-State Abortion

    Policy Watch

    This Policy Watch gives an overview of employers offering to cover travel expenses for workers who need to go out of state for an abortion in the context of increasing restrictions on abortion around the country. We discuss who is offering these benefits, the implications for workers, and some of the legal and political concerns for employers.