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.

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  • It Takes Two: What Sexual Health Means for Men…And What That Means for Women

    Other Post

    Compared to women, men are less likely to think about their sexual health - let alone make regular visits to the doctor. However, new research from the Alan Guttmacher Institute shows that reproductive health services should be provided to men, for their own sake. There is also no dispute that men's sexual health directly affects women. On March 12, David Landry, Senior Research Associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute, presented the findings of a new,…

  • The HPV Test: Coming Soon to a Doctor’s Office Near You? Is It Better than the Pap Smear for Detecting Cervical Cancer? – Agenda

    Other Post

    Are Schools Just Saying No The HPV Test: Coming Soon To A Doctor s Office Near You? Is It Better Than the Pap Smear for Detecting Cervical Cancer? Thursday, February 17, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Broadway Millennium Hotel 44th and Broadway, New York City 9:30 a.m.Registration 9:50 a.m.Welcome/Introductions Tina Hoff, Director of Public Health Information and Communications, Kaiser Family Foundation, will provide an overview of the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. --…

  • Condoms in the Schools

    Report

    Researchers, educators, lawyers, and public opinion experts address the health and value issues involved in the debate over whether condoms should be available in U.S. schools today. Individual papers discuss existing programs and research, funding and policy options, and legal considerations. This publication was produced as part of the Kaiser Forums program, an ongoing series of issue-specificbriefings at which policy makers, health experts, practitioners, and others discuss and debate controversial topics related to the Foundation's…

  • Sexual Activity on Daytime Soap Operas: A Content Analysis of Five Weeks of Television Programming

    Report

    This study, conducted for the Kaiser Family Foundation by Katharine E. Heintz-Knowles, Ph.D., University of Washington, presents a "snapshot" of the sexual content on soap operas today. Katharine Heintz-Knowles examined 97 hours of programming from theten nationally televised soap operas between May 27 and June 28, 1996. The study was presented on September 7, 1996 to producers and writers of soap operas and network executives at SOAP SUMMIT II, a day-long seminar produced by Population…

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

    Report

    Measuring the Effects of Sexual Content in the Media: A Report to the Kaiser Family Foundation This report provides a history of the research on sexual content in the media, an overview of the methods available for studying the effects of media, a discussion of some of the difficulties in doing research on this topic, and specific recommendations for future research on the effects on young viewers of sexual content in the media. This Report…

  • Teens and TANF: How Adolescents Fare Under the Nation’s Welfare Program

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief describes the history and main provisions of TANF, focusing on those that relate directly to teens, and describes what is currently known about the program’s impact on three different groups of adolescents: TANF teen parents, teenagers living in TANF households, and teens who are involved in TANF-funded initiatives. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • Emergency Contraception in California – Survey Report

    Report

    As the FDA continues to deliberate about whether emergency contraception will be made available "over-the-counter" without a prescription, a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey examines Californian's awareness of and experiences with emergency contraception, inlcuding findings on the state's "pharmacy access " program. California's "pharmacy access" program permits women to receive emergency contraception from participating pharmacists directly without contacting a physician , while the "over-the-counter" option the FDA is considering would allow people to obtain emergency…