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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151 - 160 of 870 Results

  • KFF Health Tracking Poll March 2024: Abortion in the 2024 Election and Beyond

    Feature

    This poll finds 1 in 8 voters say abortion is the most important issue to their vote. They are younger, lean Democratic, and generally want abortion to be legal in all or most cases. The poll also gauges the public's views on abortion-related policies, including a national 16-week abortion ban and allowing abortion for pregnancy-related emergencies.

  • National Survey of Americans and Health Care Providers on Emergency Contraception

    Other Post

    1997 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on Emergency Contraception Conducted for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation By Princeton Survey Research Associates Topline For Men May 13-May 26, 1997 Introduction: Hello, my name is _____, and I'm calling from Princeton Survey Research of Princeton, New Jersey. We are conducting a confidential national opinion survey about some important health issues. N = 300 men, age 18-44 Margin of error: plus or minus 5 percent *…

  • Sex in the 90s: 1998 National Survey of Americans on Sex and Sexual Health – Toplines/Survey

    Other Post

    Sex In The 90s:Kaiser Family Foundation/ABC Television 1998 National Survey of Americans on Sex and Sexual Health Methodology:The Kaiser Family Foundation and ABC Television 1998 National Survey of Americans on Sex and Sexual Health is a random-sample telephone survey of 1,204 adults 18 and older living in the United States. It was designed by staff at the Foundation and Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) and conducted by PSRA between April 24 and May 10, 1998.…

  • Making the Most of Medicaid: Promoting the Health of Women and Infants With Preconception Care

    Report

    This article examines the evolution and current role of Medicaid in improving access to preconception care for low-income women. It reviews Medicaid's eligibility policy and benefits of relevance to women of reproductive age, and discusses challenges facing the program. Authors Alina Salganicoff, vice president and director of women's health policy for the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Jane An, a research assistant at the Foundation, also examine potential opportunities to use the Medicaid program to promote…

  • National Survey Results on Public Opinions/Practices on Contraceptive Use and Decision Making

    Other Post

    Overwhelming Majority of Women Feel Most Men Are Not Responsible Enough For Preventing Unplanned Pregnancy The Top Two Reasons Why: Men "Don't Care" or Think It's the Woman's Responsibility The Majority of Women Say They Alone Make Sure Birth Control Is Used Embargoed For Release: 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday, May 22, 1995 For further information contact: Matt James Tina Hoff (415) 854-9400 Washington, D.C. -- Three quarters (73%) of American women say most men are…

  • Condoms in the Schools

    Report

    Researchers, educators, lawyers, and public opinion experts address the health and value issues involved in the debate over whether condoms should be available in U.S. schools today. Individual papers discuss existing programs and research, funding and policy options, and legal considerations. This publication was produced as part of the Kaiser Forums program, an ongoing series of issue-specificbriefings at which policy makers, health experts, practitioners, and others discuss and debate controversial topics related to the Foundation's…

  • Will 1999 Be The Year For Mifepristone (RU-486) And, An Update on Women’s Other Options for Very Early Abortion

    Fact Sheet

    While there has been much attention to the few abortions that occur late in pregnancy, there has been little focus on what options are available during the early weeks, even days, of pregnancy, when most women seek abortions. The drugs mifepristone (also known as RU-486) and misoprostol have been available in France, England, and Sweden for much of the last decade as an earlier medical alternative to surgical abortion. Since becoming available, an estimated one-half…

  • Will 1999 Be The Year For Mifepristone (Ru-486)? And, An Update on Women’s Other Options for Very Early Abortion

    Other Post

    National Survey of Women's Health Care Providers on Medical Abortion September 16, 1998 One in Two Ob/Gyns Say They are Likely to Offer Mifepristone (RU-486) If Approved by FDA, And Almost Half Who Do Not Now Provide Abortions Say They Would Provide the Medical Alternative Many Family Practice Physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician AssistantsAlso Report Interest Menlo Park, CA - In the coming year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to complete its…

  • Some States Are Strengthening Abortion Access and Protections for Clinicians and Out-of-State Residents Seeking Abortions

    News Release

    If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, the landmark decision that established the right to abortion, then individual states can regulate abortion without any federal requirement to protect abortion access. While about half of the states in the U.S. will move to either ban or highly restrict abortion access for their residents, there is growing momentum in a handful of states to not only protect abortion access for their state residents, but also to…