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.

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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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  • Emergency Contraceptive Pills

    Fact Sheet

    - Fact Sheet This fact sheet is an update on emergency contraception (EC). It includes information on EC methods, safety and side effects, and access issues. The fact sheet also provides information women's knowledge and use as well as health care provider attitudes and practices. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

  • agendaFIJune13.doc-20000613a-agendaFIJune13-doc

    Other Post

    If the FDA Approves Mifepristone . . . What Happens Next? Will Doctors Provide It? Do Women Want It?And, What Effect Will It Have on Abortion Politics? class=normal>Tuesday, June 13, 20009:30am - 11:30amBroadway Millennium Hotel, Rooms 304/30544th and Broadway, New York City 9:30 am Registration9:50 am Welcome/Introductions10:00 am News from the Frontlines: The Latest on Mifepristone What's Happening with the Food and Drug Administration?Sandra Arnold, Vice President for Corporate Affairs at the Population Council, will…

  • Maternity Care and Consumer Driven Health Plans

    Event Date:
    Event

    Maternity Care and Consumer-Driven Health Plans With maternity care representing one of the most common and costly medical interventions that women experience, Kaiser and the March of Dimes co-hosted a forum to release new studies that analyze the costs of maternity care and assess coverage under consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs). Kaiser released a new study that compares the out-of-pocket costs of maternity care under CDHPs and traditional health insurance plans. The March of Dimes released…

  • Measuring the Effects of Sexual Content in the Media:  A Report to the Kaiser Family Foundation – Report

    Report

    Measuring the Effects of Sexual Content in the Media: A Report to the Kaiser Family Foundation This Report is available in Adobe Acrobat Format Author: Drs. Aletha C. Huston, Ellen Wartella, and Edward Donnerstein Executive Summary The Kaiser Family Foundation has an ongoing interest in sexual health among young people and the potential contributions of mass media to sexual behavior. This report was prepared at the request of the Foundation to examine the methodological options…

  • Two National Surveys: Views of Americans and Health Care Providers on Medical Abortion

    Other Post

    Will 1999 Be The Year For Mifepristone (RU-486)?And, An Update on Women's Other Options for Very Early Abortion September 16, 1998 Briefing Participants: Janet Benshoof PresidentCenter for Reproductive Law & Policy120 Wall Street, 18th FloorNew York, NY 10005Press Contact: Margie Kelly212/514-5534 Jacqueline E. Darroch, PhDSenior Vice PresidentThe Alan Guttmacher Institute120 Wall StreetNew York, NY 10005 Vanessa Northington Gamble, MD, PhDAssociate ProfessorHistory of Medicine and Family Medicine, and DirectorCenter for the Study of Race and Ethnicity…

  • 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…

  • Briefing Resource List-20000418-briefingresourcesapril_-doc

    Other Post

    Briefing Resource List The Gender of Politics:How (and How Much) Will Women Influence Election 2000?Tuesday, April 18, 2000Briefing ParticipantsOther ResourcesAnalysts and ResearchersPollstersWomen's Political OrganizationsVoter Education/InformationAdditional Voter Education WebsitesNational Political PartiesPolitical Analysts/StrategistsEmerging Issues in Reproductive Health, Program Contacts Briefing Participants Mollyann Brodie, PhD, Vice President and Director of Public Opinion and Media ResearchTina Hoff, Director, Public Health Information and CommunicationsHenry J. Kaiser Family Foundation2400 Sand Hill RoadMenlo Park, CA 94025Press contact: Amy WeitzTel. 650.854.9400Fax. 650.854.7465E-mail: aweitz@kff.orgWebsite:…

  • Access to Care for Low-Income Women: The Impact of Medicaid

    Other Post

    Health coverage is of critical importance to low-income women. This study was undertaken to assess how low-income women with Medicaid, private insurance, or no insurance vary with regard to personal characteristics, health status, and health utilization. Data are from a telephone interview survey of a representative cross-sectional sample of 5,200 low-income women in Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. On the whole, low-income women were found to experience considerable barriers to care; however, uninsured low-income…

  • Sexual Activity and Substance Use Among Youth

    Fact Sheet

    Teens and young adults face many pressures and decisions involving alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity decisions that often occur simultaneously. Almost one quarter of sexually active young people aged 15-24 report having sex without a condom because they were drinking or using drugs at the time. These findings are from a new national survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and released at a conference, Dangerous Liaisons: Substance Abuse and Sexual Behavior, sponsored by the…

  • Teens on Sex: What They Say About the Media as an Information Source

    Other Post

    Teens on Sex: What They Say About the Media as an Information Source According to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a third (34%) of teens say some teens have sex because television and movies make it seem "normal" for teens to be sexually active. But, many teens also say that television and movies, after their teachers, parents, and friends, are important sources of information for them on pregnancy and birth control. Nearly…