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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.

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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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  • The Implications of the Most Recent Challenge to the ACA’s Preventive Care Requirement Could Affect Millions

    News Release

    A new brief explains the implications of the most recent legal challenge contesting the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement that most private insurance plans cover specific preventive care items and services—such as contraceptive services and supplies, and cancer screenings—at no cost to patients. In Braidwood Management v. Becerra, two Christian-owned businesses and six individuals in Texas have challenged the legality of the preventive care mandates on constitutional grounds. The plaintiffs are also challenging the requirement…

  • Abortion Bans May Limit Essential Medications for Women with Chronic Conditions

    Issue Brief

    This analysis uses the 2019 IBM MarketScan claims data to look at prescriptions of methotrexate and misoprostol, two drugs that can be used to terminate pregnancies, but are also used to manage chronic conditions like cancer, autoimmune diseases, and abnormal bleeding. These drugs may be restricted in response to state abortion bans, which we find will disproportionately affect women of reproductive age who make up the majority of those who rely on these drugs.

  • Analysis Reveals How Abortion Boosted Democratic Candidates in Tuesday’s Midterm Election

    News Release

    While inflation was clearly at the top of voters’ minds in this year’s midterm elections, the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade played a significant role in motivating key voting blocs that likely contributed to the Democratic party’s stronger-than-expected performance, a new analysis of KFF’s supplemental questions on the Associated Press VoteCast survey of midterm voters. About four in ten (38%) voters overall said that the Supreme Court decision ending the constitutional right to an abortion had a…

  • Fewer than Half of Employed Women Say Their Employer Offers a Paid Parental Leave or Family and Medical Leave Benefit

    News Release

    A new KFF analysis finds that fewer than half of employed women ages 18-64 say their employer offers a paid parental leave benefit, such as maternity or paternity leave (43%) or family and medical leave (44%). Access to these workplace benefits varies widely by employment status, income, location, and level of education. Women who work full-time and have higher incomes are more likely than their part-time or low-income counterparts to say their employer offers any…

  • Medication Abortion in the Courts: What’s at Stake?

    News Release

    Access to medication abortion has emerged as a central issue following the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. There is ongoing litigation in four federal cases about the FDA’s approval and regulation of mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in medication abortion. Mifepristone, approved by the FDA in 2000, has a long record of safety and effectiveness and has been used by more than 5 million people in the United States. In the most…

  • KFF Examines Challenges in Navigating Coverage for Opill, the First Over-the-Counter Daily Oral Contraceptive Pill, Coming to Market Next Year 

    News Release

    As Opill—the first over-the-counter daily oral contraceptive pill in the United States—is expected to be available for purchase in early 2024, new research conducted by KFF examines barriers to its accessibility for consumers and challenges in providing insurance coverage for it. Based on interviews with nearly 80 representatives from private insurance plans, state Medicaid programs, chain pharmacies, and other key groups, the report provides a deeper view into the operational challenges in expanding access to…

  • Large Shares of Black Adults, Hispanic Adults, and Rural Residents are Unsure Whether to Believe Many False Health Claims  

    News Release

    Drawing on KFF’s Misinformation Pilot Poll, KFF today released three follow-up reports examining exposure to, and belief in, health misinformation among Black adults, Hispanic adults, and rural communities. As with the general public, large shares within each group are uncertain about whether each of 10 false health claims are true or not, describing them as either “probably true” or “probably false.” This uncertainty leaves people vulnerable to misinformation but also provides an opportunity to combat…

  • Oral Contraceptive Pills: Access and Availability

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides an overview of oral contraception, discusses private insurance and Medicaid coverage, and reviews strategies to promote and expand women’s access to oral contraceptives.