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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  • All Eyes on the Supreme Court: More than Birth Control at Stake

    Issue Brief

    On March 25th, the Supreme Court will hear two cases brought by for-profit corporations challenging the ACA’s contraceptive coverage rule on religious grounds. These two corporations are Hobby Lobby, a national chain of craft stores owned by a Christian family and Conestoga Wood Specialties, a cabinet manufacturer, owned by a Mennonite family. Beyond the impact on the ACA and contraceptive coverage, the Court’s decision may have implications for religious rights of employers and employees, as…

  • Webinar for Journalists: Women’s Health Under the Affordable Care Act

    Event Date:
    Event

    The Kaiser Family Foundation hosted an interactive webinar for journalists through its Media Fellowships Program: "Women's Health Under the Affordable Care Act," which took place on Thursday, February 6 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. Now that the ACA's coverage expansions are in effect, the Foundation's latest webinar looked at how the law affects women's access to health coverage and care. The Kaiser Family Foundation's Alina Salganicoff, Vice President and Director of Women's Health Policy, and…

  • A Guide to the Supreme Court’s Review of the Contraceptive Coverage Requirement

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief dissects the issues raised by the legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that private insurance plans include contraception as part of their coverage of preventive services for women. Over 40 for-profit corporations and over 40 nonprofit corporations have filed lawsuits claiming that the requirement to provide their employees with contraceptives violates their religious rights. On November 26, 2013, the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases filed by for-profit corporations,…

  • Share of Women Age 18-44 Who Are Uninsured, by State, 2011-2013

    Feature

    Share of Women Age 18-44 Who Are Uninsured, 18-44, by State Download Source State-level figures based on Urban Institute and Kaiser Family Foundation estimates of pooled 2012 and 2013 Current Population Surveys, U.S. Bureau of the Census.

  • Rates of Uninsured Women, by State

    Feature

    Rates of Uninsured Women, by State Download Source State-level figures based on Urban Institute and Kaiser Family Foundation estimates of pooled 2012 and 2013 Current Population Surveys, U.S. Bureau of the Census.   

  • Women at Greatest Risk for Being Uninsured in 2012

    Feature

    Women at Greatest Risk for Being Uninsured, 2012 Download Source Kaiser Family Foundation and Urban Institute analysis of the March 2013 Current Population Survey, U.S. Bureau of the Census.   

  • Obamacare y Usted: Si usted es una mujer

    Fact Sheet

    Como mujer, es especialmente importante para usted entender cómo la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (Affordable Care Act o ACA, en inglés) cambiará el cuidado de salud en el 2014. Su atención médica necesita diferenciarse de la de los hombres y a menudo usted es la que toma las decisiones sobre el cuidado de salud de su familia. Obamacare amplía la variedad de muchos servicios que son importantes para las mujeres, y…