Women's Health Archives - Page 3 of 49

What About the State of Health?

Episode 435

Feb. 26, 2026

Health care got barely a mention in President Trump’s State of the Union address. Ahead of the midterms, the Trump administration has presented few concrete plans to address what Americans say is the biggest problem with health care: its skyrocketing costs. Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, got her long-delayed nomination hearing in the Senate, where she faced skeptical questions from Democrats and Republicans alike. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

Listen Now

A woman sits on a couch with a young baby in her left arm and her right hand petting a brown dog sitting beside her. She smiles at the camera.

New Orleans Brings Back the House Call, Sending Nurses To Visit Newborns and Moms

Louisiana is one of the worst-performing states when it comes to health outcomes of mothers and infants. New Orleans is trying to catch health issues early and get families off to an easier start by adding health visits during the crucial first months of life.

By Rosemary Westwood, WWNO

Feb. 23, 2026

A researcher sits at her desk indoors. A laptop is in front of her.

NIH Grant Disruptions Slow Down Breast Cancer Research

The Trump administration has made the future of federal funding for cancer research uncertain. At one groundbreaking breast cancer research lab, work that could save lives has slowed significantly.

By Martha Bebinger, WBUR

Feb. 3, 2026

A Black woman holds her young daughter in her arms. She is smiling at her daughter.

HealthQ

If You’re Pregnant and Uninsured, Medicaid Might Be Your Answer

Prenatal care can make a huge difference to the long-term health of both the parent and baby. Every state offers health coverage to lower-income pregnant women who might otherwise go uninsured.

By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio, Cara Anthony, and Emily Siner, Nashville Public Radio

Feb. 3, 2026

HealthBent

Why Medication Abortion Is the Top Target for Anti-Abortion Groups in 2026

With abortions still on the rise nationwide despite widespread bans, curtailing the use of pregnancy-terminating medication is a top priority for abortion opponents — and they’re frustrated that the Trump administration isn’t doing more to limit its use.

By Julie Rovner

Jan. 23, 2026

The Week in Brief

Native American Leaders Target High Maternal Mortality in Indian Country

Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Jan. 16, 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Culture Wars Take Center Stage

Episode 429

Jan. 15, 2026

With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned to culture war issues. Meanwhile, “confusion” remains the watchword at HHS as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” report.

Listen Now

A hand-drawn illustration of an Indigenous mother and child smiling at each other amongst a frame of flowers.

Native Americans Are Dying From Pregnancy. They Want a Voice To Stop the Trend.

Native American women face higher rates of death than other demographics. In response, Native Americans have been working with state and federal officials to boost tribal participation and leadership in maternal mortality review committees to better track and address pregnancy-related deaths.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Jan. 15, 2026

A small group of people sit and stand on the steps of the South Carolina State House.

‘Abortion as Homicide’ Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions

A proposed abortion ban in South Carolina would have allowed the criminal prosecution of women who obtain the procedure. It’s unlikely to become law, but this bill and other proposals across the country show how some conservative lawmakers are embracing increasingly punitive abortion restrictions.

By Lauren Sausser and Bram Sable-Smith

Jan. 12, 2026

An exhausted health care worker crouches down to rest, exhibiting exhaustion.

Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State’s Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse.

Abortion bans like Iowa’s have put OB-GYNs under increasing strain and surveillance, complicating the standard medical treatments for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature membrane rupture, and other pregnancy problems. As many rural areas face worsening maternity care deserts, some physicians fear these laws could drive much-needed doctors out of state and dissuade others from moving in and establishing a practice.

By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio

Jan. 5, 2026

Surgery tools sit in the foreground as surgeons work in the background

The Body Shops

After Outpatient Cosmetic Surgery, They Wound Up in the Hospital or Alone at a Recovery House

Some patients who had liposuction or other surgeries later required emergency hospital care — and some died, court records show.

By Fred Schulte

Dec. 23, 2025

FDA Panelists Questioned Antidepressants in Pregnancy. But Doctors Call Them a Lifeline.

Participants in an FDA panel discussion warned the public about risks from using antidepressants in pregnancy. But mental health issues, including suicide and overdoses, are the leading cause of maternal death in the United States. Antidepressants are a safe, well-studied way to help prevent those deaths, medical experts say.

By Lisa Rab

Dec. 15, 2025

A man wearing a black hat and glasses stands with his arm around a woman with long, dark hair and wearing glasses

Broken Rehab

How Delays and Bankruptcy Let a Nursing Home Chain Avoid Paying Settlements for Injuries and Deaths

Genesis HealthCare’s bankruptcy case in Dallas will allow the nursing home chain to avoid paying millions of dollars it promised for residents who were injured or died while in its care. Families say bankruptcy nullifies one of the main ways to hold nursing home owners accountable for poor care.

By Jordan Rau

Dec. 9, 2025

Newborn babies sleep in their cradles in a hospital nursery.

Trump Wants Americans To Make More Babies. Critics Say His Policies Won’t Help Raise Them.

The administration’s embrace of the pronatalist movement often doesn’t include support for programs traditionally associated with the health and well-being of women, children, and families.

By Stephanie Armour and Amanda Seitz

Dec. 3, 2025

A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a Senate hearing.

RFK Jr. Wants To Delay the Hepatitis B Vaccine. Here’s What Parents Need To Know.

A CDC panel is reconsidering the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Renewed doubt could lead to fewer kids getting vaccinated, leaving them vulnerable to an incurable, preventable virus that can be acquired by indirect contact with infected blood.

By Jackie Fortiér

Dec. 2, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The GOP Circles the Wagons on ACA

Episode 423

Nov. 20, 2025

Republicans are solidifying their opposition to extending pandemic-era subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans and seem to be coalescing around giving money directly to consumers to spend on health care. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to leave his mark on the agency, with the CDC altering its website to suggest childhood vaccines could play a role in causing autism. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Avik Roy.

Listen Now

A photo from the shoulders down of a woman holding her a birth control pill pack in her left hand and a mobile phone in her right.

Breast Cancer and Birth Control: A Huge New Study Shows How Science Can Be Distorted

The study sought to answer questions about how breast cancer risk differs by type of hormonal contraceptive. Doctors say the results won’t change how they counsel patients.

By Céline Gounder

Nov. 18, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The Government Is Open

Episode 422

Nov. 13, 2025

The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January — but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits. Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.

Listen Now

A close up of photograph of an unrecognizable doctor using stethoscope while listening to the belly of a pregnant woman.

Is Covid During Pregnancy Linked to Autism? What a New Study Shows, and What It Doesn’t

Massachusetts researchers examine how growth and learning are subtly shaped among children whose mothers had covid while pregnant.

By Céline Gounder

Nov. 5, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Happy Open Enrollment Eve!

Episode 420

Oct. 30, 2025

A standoff in Congress is keeping much of the government shut down as open enrollment begins in most states for Affordable Care Act plans. Democrats are demanding Republicans agree to extend ACA tax credits, but there has been little negotiating — even as customers are learning what they’ll pay for coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is telling states they can’t pass their own laws to keep medical debt off consumers’ credit reports. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

Listen Now

Trump 2.0

Public Health

Audio Reports

Special Reports

More Topics

Women's Health