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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  • A New Analysis Takes a Closer Look at Online Contraception Platforms Amid the Pandemic

    News Release

    Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, hormonal contraception became more accessible to many outside of traditional clinical settings through websites or apps that offer contraception via telehealth. To better understand this emerging method of contraceptive access, a new KFF analysis provides a deeper look at telecontraception platforms, offering insights into the practices of 13 different companies based on information collected between November 2020 through January 2021. Key highlights from the report include: All of the…

  • Limited Access to Paid Family Leave

    Feature

    Most people will need to take time off work to care for themselves or their families at some point, but only one in five (21%) workers have access to paid family leave through their employer. Congress is considering creating a universal paid family and medical leave program as part of the Build Back Better Act.

  • Updated Women’s Health State Data: Interactive Dashboard

    News Release

    Interested in keeping up with the most recent state specific women's health data and policies? The newly updated and upgraded KFF State Profiles for Women's Health interactive dashboard offers the latest national and state data and policies women’s health, from health insurance coverage to abortion policy changes. This easy-to-use visual dashboard allows you to explore a broad range of state-level statistics and policies of importance to women including health status, insurance, and Medicaid coverage, use…

  • Some States Are Strengthening Abortion Access and Protections for Clinicians and Out-of-State Residents Seeking Abortions

    News Release

    If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, the landmark decision that established the right to abortion, then individual states can regulate abortion without any federal requirement to protect abortion access. While about half of the states in the U.S. will move to either ban or highly restrict abortion access for their residents, there is growing momentum in a handful of states to not only protect abortion access for their state residents, but also to…

  • Americans’ Knowledge and Attitudes About Abortion Access and the Pending Supreme Court Ruling

    Event Date:
    Event

    On June 9, KFF released findings from a national public opinion survey on abortion. The event highlighted key issues including awareness and attitudes of the impending Supreme Court opinion, its potential impact on abortion access, the importance of abortion policy to voting preferences in this year’s midterm elections, and knowledge of abortion and related health care.

  • Women who Give Birth Incur Nearly $19,000 in Additional Health Costs, Including $2,854 More that They Pay Out of Pocket

    News Release

    The health care costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth average almost $19,000, including $2,854 paid out-of-pocket, a new KFF analysis of large employers’ insurance claims finds. Unlike other analyses that examine costs of specific pregnancy-related services, such as a vaginal or cesarean delivery, this new analysis compares three years of health care claims for reproductive-aged women who gave birth to claims for women who had not given birth. The analysis finds women who give birth…