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.

Subscribe to KFF Emails

Choose which emails are best for you.
Sign up here

Filter

501 - 510 of 871 Results

  • Web Briefing: The Sexual and Reproductive Health Landscape in the US: Current Trends and the Impact of the Pandemic

    Event Date:
    Event

    At 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 21, KFF will hold a web briefing to highlight key findings on sexual and reproductive health from KFF’s national Women’s Health Survey. The presentation will be followed by a discussion with leaders in sexual and reproductive care about what those findings mean for policy and practice, how the pandemic has begun to reshape the provision of sexual and reproductive health care, and implications for the future of the…

  • New Brief Explains Key Elements of the Biden Administration’s Proposed Title X Regulations

    News Release

    On April 15th, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published proposed regulations for the Title X federal family planning program to replace the Trump Administration’s rules, which prohibited abortion referrals and co-located abortion services. The Biden Administration proposes to largely re-instate the Title X regulations that were in place from 1993-2019, with new additions focusing on “ensuring access to equitable, affordable, client-centered, quality family planning services” for all clients. HHS is accepting public…

  • Maternal Health in the Build Back Better Act

    Policy Watch

    This policy watch highlights the different provisions and potential impact on parents and children in America. From expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage to establishing a national paid family leave policy, the BBBA could provide more support to states and community organizations working to improve maternal health.

  • Medication Abortion Via Telehealth: What You Need to Know About State Regulations

    News Release

    With the country waiting on the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, many are looking towards telehealth as an alternative to expand access to medication abortion. A new KFF issue brief explains the newly revised Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy on medication abortion and the differential impact this could have on states by assessing the intersection of federal policy regarding dispensing medication…

  • Medicaid Coverage for Women

    Issue Brief

    This data note presents key data points describing the current state of the Medicaid program as it affects women.

  • Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health: State Asks Supreme Court to Overturn Roe v. Wade

    News Release

    On December 1, the Supreme Court will hear their first abortion case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, with a solid conservative majority. The case, Thomas E. Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, involves a Mississippi law banning nearly all abortions over 15 weeks gestational age. Mississippi is asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, and therefore overturn the constitutional right to abortion that…

  • Rebuilding the Title X Family Planning Network Will Take Time, Despite Biden Administration Actions Issuing New Regulations and Additional Funding

    News Release

    A new KFF analysis highlights state-level data on the status of the Title X family planning program on the eve of the implementation of the new Biden Administration regulations for the program. To date, five states still have no Title X clinics, and seven states are still operating with less than 25% of their clinic network. Overall, 39 states experienced a drop in the number of participating clinics since 2018. The Trump Administration’s Department of…