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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  • Link to the Women’s Research and Education Institute

    Other Post

    Baby Boom to Generation X: Progress in Young Women's Health Baby Boom to Generation X: Progress in Young Women's Health, by Alina Salganicoff, Barbara Wentworth, and Liberty Greene of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a chapter from The American Woman 2003-2004, Daughters of a Revolution--Young Women Today, Cynthia Costello, Vanessa Wight, and Anne J. Stone, editors. The chapter explores the changes that have taken place in young women's health over the past twenty-five years. It discusses…

  • Capitol Hill Briefing Series on Women’s Health Policy

    Other Post

    Kaiser Family Foundation Capitol Hill Briefing Series on Women's Health Policy Women's health needs and economic circumstances make health coverage and access to care important throughout their lives. They are disproportionately affected by changes in policies that impact both the private and public sectors. To provide policymakers with up-to-date information and allow for an interchange of ideas with experts in the field, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, in partnership with Women's Policy, Inc., sponsors…

  • Maternity Care and Consumer-Driven Health Plans

    Report

    Maternity Care and Consumer-Driven Health Plans This report compares out-of-pocket costs of maternity care under 12 consumer-driven health plans (CDHP) from the group and individual markets to a traditional health insurance plan. CDHPs typically have lower premiums but higher deductible levels than traditional health plans, shifting more of the financial responsibility for the costs of medical care to patients to promote more cost-conscious health care choices. In some cases, out-of-pocket costs under CDHPs may be…

  • Survey on Women’s Health in the U.S.

    Report

    New Survey on Women's Health in the U.S. A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds most women report generally positive experiences with the health care system, but a sizable share faced problems. A significant minority of nonelderly women reported delaying or going without care in the past year or not filling a prescription due to costs. Women are more likely than men both to face these problems and express concerns about the…

  • Emergency Contraception: From Prescription to Over-the-Counter

    Other Post

    This issue update provides information on the process of making emergency contraception available without a prescription. It includes sections on how a drug becomes availible without a prescription;, the over-the counter-debate; implications for cost and use; and safety and efficacy. Issue Update

  • Promoting Access to Prenatal Care: Lessons from the California Experience (Issue Brief)

    Issue Brief

    Improving access to prenatal care has been a public policy priority in the United States for the past 15 years. This issue brief, prepared for the Kaiser Family Foundation by Paula Braveman, M.D. of the University of California, San Francisco and others, examines the impact of the Medicaid pregnancy-related expansions and reforms in California during the late 1980s and 1990s on the use of prenatal care.

  • Emergency Contraceptive Pills

    Fact Sheet

    - Fact Sheet This fact sheet is an update on emergency contraception (EC). It includes information on EC methods, safety and side effects, and access issues. The fact sheet also provides information women's knowledge and use as well as health care provider attitudes and practices. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • agendaFIJune13.doc-20000613a-agendaFIJune13-doc

    Other Post

    If the FDA Approves Mifepristone . . . What Happens Next? Will Doctors Provide It? Do Women Want It?And, What Effect Will It Have on Abortion Politics? class=normal>Tuesday, June 13, 20009:30am - 11:30amBroadway Millennium Hotel, Rooms 304/30544th and Broadway, New York City 9:30 am Registration9:50 am Welcome/Introductions10:00 am News from the Frontlines: The Latest on Mifepristone What's Happening with the Food and Drug Administration?Sandra Arnold, Vice President for Corporate Affairs at the Population Council, will…