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 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.

An Update on Medicaid, Title X and Planned Parenthood

This brief provides an update on Planned Parenthood clinic closures and participation in the Title X program amid substantial policy changes resulting in funding reductions. These changes include the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the withholding of federal Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics.

SELECTED RESOURCES

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.

Stay informed.

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621 - 630 of 874 Results

  • 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,…

  • National Survey of Women about Their Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Their Reproductive Health – Toplines/Survey

    Other Post

    The Kaiser Survey on Public Knowledge and Attitudes about STDs other than AIDS Questionnaire and Toplines November 20, 1996 Conducted for The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation by Market Facts, Inc. Number of Interviews: 707 men and women ages 18-64 Margin of Error: plus or minus 4 percentage points Dates of Interviewing: November 8-10, 1996 1. Can you tell me the names of any sexually transmitted diseases or S.T.D.s, which also used to be called…

  • National Survey Results on Public Knowledge/Opinions and OB/GYN Practice/Attitudes on Emergency Contraceptives (“Morning-After Pills”)

    Other Post

    Two New Surveys of American Public and Physicians: American Women Are Misinformed About Emergency Contraceptive Option; Once Explained, Many Say Would Be Likely to Use --Ethical and Safety Concerns Not Major Factors In Stated Likelihood to Use "Morning-After" Pills -- OB/GYNS Consider "Morning-After" Pills to be Safe and Effective; While Most Have Prescribed Within LastYear, Only to Handful of Patients -- Most Physicians Who Do Not Perform Abortions State No "Objections or Concerns" Prescribing Emergency…

  • The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility:  The International Experience – Report

    Report

    The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience Executive Summary The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation commissioned the Advocates for Youth Media Project to carry out a study titled The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience. The study examines the outcomes of programs using mass media entertainment to stimulate changes in health behaviors. Entertainment-education is defined as the process of putting educational content in entertaining formats…

  • Kaiser Family Foundation 1998 National Survey on Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives – News Release

    Other Post

    Americans Support Requiring Insurers To Cover Contraceptives, Even If Premiums Rise. More Women and Men Say Contraceptives Should Be Covered Than Say Viagra Embargoed for release until: 9:30 AM, ET, Friday, June 19, 1998 For further information contact: Tina Hoff or Matt James Menlo Park, CA - Most Americans support requiring insurers to provide contraceptives as part of prescription coverage, even if premiums rise, according to a new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.…

  • Alan Guttmacher Institute Press Release

    Other Post

    Susan Tew/Chris Kirchgaessner 212-248-1111 mediaworks@agi-usa.org EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 9:30 AM, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1999 U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS OVERWHELMINGLY PROMOTE ABSTINENCE, BUT NOT TO THE EXCLUSION OF CONTRACEPTIVE INFORMATION Still, One-Third Say Instruction Must Be "Abstinence-Only" and Prohibit or Distort Contraceptive Information Among the seven in 10 public school districts that have a district-wide policy to teach sexuality education, the vast majority (86%) require that abstinence be promoted, either as the preferred option for teenagers…

  • Health News Index – July/August 2000

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index July/August, 2000 The July/August 2000 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/HarvardSchool of Public Health, Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including questions about the Supreme Court's recent decisions and House action on proposals for providing drug coverage to seniors. The Health News Index is designed to help the news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories in…

  • SexSmarts Survey – Teens and Sexual Health Communication

    Poll Finding

    SexSmarts Survey- Teens and Sexual Health Communication As part of an on-going public information partnership called SexSmarts, seventeen magazine and the Kaiser Family Foundation conduct nationally-representative surveys of teens 15 to 17 on issues related to their sexual health. This survey examines sexual health communication between teens and their parents, health care providers and partners. The results suggest that nearly four in 10 sexually active adolescents say their parents don't know they are having sex.…

  • Sexuality and American Social Policy

    Other Post

    Monographs as part of the ongoing seminar series, jointly sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI), "." Resource List:

  • Health News Index – March/April 2002

    Poll Finding

    Health News Index March/April, 2002 The March/April edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including the recent coverage of mammogram efficacy, the Institute of Medicine report on racial disparities in the health care system, and prescription drug discount cards. The Health News Index is designed to help news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding…