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 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.

An Update on Medicaid, Title X and Planned Parenthood

This brief provides an update on Planned Parenthood clinic closures and participation in the Title X program amid substantial policy changes resulting in funding reductions. These changes include the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the withholding of federal Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics.

SELECTED RESOURCES

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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141 - 150 of 874 Results

  • Updated Infographic Explains New Federal Regulations on Contraceptive Coverage

    News Release

    A newly-updated infographic from the Kaiser Family Foundation explains the final regulations on employer-based coverage of birth control released today by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. How Does Where You Work Affect Your Contraceptive Coverage? provides a clear explanation of coverage requirements under the new regulations for employers with religious objections to contraceptive coverage, including houses of worship, religiously-affiliated nonprofits and closely-held for-profit corporations. A related summary, also updated to reflect the new regulations,…

  • Is There a Health Care Vote? More for Democrats and Women than Other Groups

    News Release

    About One Third of Americans Perceive Wide-Scale Effort to Limit Women’s Reproductive Health Choices and Services; Most Who Do Say the Effort is a ‘Bad Thing’ Health care is one of many issues that will be important for voters in the presidential election, particularly for Democrats and women, finds the March Kaiser Health Tracking Poll. More than a third (36%) of voters consider health care “extremely important” to their vote in this year’s presidential election,…

  • Americans’ Knowledge and Attitudes About Abortion Access and the Pending Supreme Court Ruling

    Event Date:
    Event

    On June 9, KFF released findings from a national public opinion survey on abortion. The event highlighted key issues including awareness and attitudes of the impending Supreme Court opinion, its potential impact on abortion access, the importance of abortion policy to voting preferences in this year’s midterm elections, and knowledge of abortion and related health care.

  • Abortion Decision Renews Questions About Employer Access to Health Information

    Policy Watch

    This Policy Watch takes a look at employers ability to access abortion information when their health plan covers abortion services. With some states criminalizing entities who assist in abortions, employers and providers face legal jeopardy and existing privacy laws such as HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) may be limited in their privacy protections.

  • Analysis: Insurance Riders to Cover Abortion Services Not Available to Women in States That Restrict Abortion Coverage

    News Release

    In 10 states, insurance plans are currently banned from including abortion as a covered service in state-regulated private plans -- all individually purchased policies and fully-insured group plans. Most of these laws do not include exceptions for rape, incest, or health endangerment. In nine of these states, insurers may sell health insurance riders for abortion coverage, but the availability of such riders has been unknown. A new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of the insurance plans offered in…

  • Minors’ Ability to Consent to Contraception and Abortion Services

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines state consent requirements for minors accessing contraceptive and abortion care, processes for minors to attempt to obtain abortion without parental involvement, and trends in state policy increasing requirements for parental involvement in minors’ health care decisions.