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

    Fact Sheet

    Abortion in the U.S. Most abortions in the U.S. today are performed surgically, typically using vacuum aspiration (VA). 9 in 10 abortions occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.5 Surgical abortions can be performed as early as pregnancy is first detected, using electric VA or manual vacuum aspiration (MVA).21 Medical abortions are procedures using medications to induce abortion, such as mifepristone (also called RU-486) or methotrexate in combination with misoprostol. Unintended Pregnancy And Surgical…

  • Abortion in the U.S.: Utilization, Financing and Access

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet provides key data on the levels of use of different abortion procedures in the United States and reviews the different federal and state policies that affect availability of and access to abortion services. It also provides information on how abortions are financed in the public and private sectors and reviews the state-level policies and Medicaid and private insurance rules that affect coverage of abortion services, including parental involvement laws, provider protections and…

  • National Council of Jewish Women features article on “Diagnosing Women’s Health Care”

    Other Post

    National Council of Jewish Women features article on “Diagnosing Women’s Health Care” Kaiser Vice President and Director of Women's Health Policy, Alina Salganicoff, authored an article titled "Diagnosing Women’s Health Care" featured in the National Council of Jewish Women's magazine, NCJW Journal, volume 29. The article highlights the special challenges that many women face in affording and accessing comprehensive health care in the U.S. It discusses the state of women's health coverage, emerging issues for…

  • Putting Women’s Health Care Disparities On The Map: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the State Level

    Report

    This Kaiser Family Foundation report documents the persistence of disparities between white women and women of color across the country. It provides a rare and comprehensive state-level look at disparities among women of different races and ethnicities on a broad range of indicators of health and well-being, including rates of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, AIDS and cancer, and access to health insurance and health screenings.

  • Early Sexual Experiences: How Voluntary? How Violent?

    Report

    Edward Laumann, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, shares findings from the 1994 National Health and Social Life Survey, which suggest that having a violent or coercive first sexual experience is not as rare an occurrence as had been previously believed. Seminar participants -- experts on sexuality and sexual relationships -- debate the prevalence and consequences of abusive and negative first sexual experiences. This publication was produced as part of an ongoing seminar series,…

  • Survey on Public Knowledge and Attitudes on Contraception and Unplanned Pregnancy in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands

    Other Post

    Kaiser Family Foundation Surveys on Public Knowledge and Attitudes on Contraception and Unplanned Pregnancy in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands1995 Unplanned pregnancy is a major problem facing Americans today. Approximately 3.5 million unplanned pregnancies occur each year in the United States. Women in the United States are almost twice as likely as women in Great Britain and three times as likely as women in the Netherlands to face an unplanned pregnancy. Research has…

  • It’s Your (Sex) Life:  Your Guide to Safe and Responsible Sex

    Other Post

    Contraception 911 If a condom breaks, a diaphragm slips, or you realize after having sex that you forgot to take the pill for three days in a row, it can be enough to make the calmest person very upset! Fortunately, there is something you can do. If you act within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, two doses of a special combination of birth control pills, available by prescription, can prevent or delay ovulation and reduce…

  • Health Insurance Coverage of Women, State Estimates

    Fact Sheet

    This fact sheet, Health Insurance Coverage of Women, provides state-by-state data on the uninsured rate, as well as rates of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage, among women nationally, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

  • Women’s Health Access:  The Role of Income and Race/Ethnicity

    Issue Brief

    2001 Kaiser Women's Health Survey and Issue Briefs The Kaiser Women's Health Survey was designed to better understand how the health system is working for women, in terms of health coverage, access to services, and in meeting their health needs. The survey also highlights the special challenges facing different groups of women, including women of color, those who are low-income, and those who are uninsured. This nationally representative telephone survey was administered to 3,966 women…