Last updated: August 8, 2026
Women’s rights in the United States continue to be shaped by a combination of federal policy changes, court decisions, and sharply different approaches among …
With a wink to the 1980s sitcom featuring four unrelated women sharing a Miami house, a handful of states have passed "Golden Girls" laws. These state laws, in …
Wisconsin voters will choose their parties' nominees for governor in the August 11 primary. While comprehensive voter guides cover the full range of issues facing the state, this WRDI …
As of July 2026 — Reproductive rights remain deeply divided across the United States. Abortion access varies widely by state, while medication abortion, contraception, and reproductive healthcare policy continue to face legal and political scrutiny at both the state and federal levels. Some states have expanded protections, but ongoing debates over fetal personhood, pregnancy-related laws, and federal reproductive health policy continue to create uncertainty around access and enforcement.
For decades, a federal law called EMTALA has guaranteed one basic promise: if you show up at a U.S. emergency room in crisis, the hospital is required to screen …
Across the country, lawmakers, courts, and federal agencies are increasingly defining terms that shape women's rights. One of the clearest examples is fetal personhood—the idea that an …
When Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 in 2024, they established constitutional protections for reproductive freedom, including abortion, and overturned the state's near-total abortion ban.
Yet less than …
Project 2025 is a long-term policy blueprint created by a group of conservative organizations and led by the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. Released ahead of the …
Federal laws play a powerful role in shaping women’s rights in the United States. Even when enforcement and impact vary from place to place, these laws establish national standards …
The word “protected” sounds definitive.
In everyday language, it suggests something settled—a right that’s been secured and placed out of reach of change. In law, the meaning is …
When people hear the phrase “abortion is healthcare,” it’s often assumed to be a political statement. In medicine, it isn’t. It’s a description of how pregnancy care …
For decades, a federal law called EMTALA has guaranteed one basic promise: if you show up at a U.S. emergency room in crisis, the hospital is required to screen …
Across the country, lawmakers, courts, and federal agencies are increasingly defining terms that shape women's rights. One of the clearest examples is fetal personhood—the idea that an …
When Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 in 2024, they established constitutional protections for reproductive freedom, including abortion, and overturned the state's near-total abortion ban.
Yet less than …
When states pass menopause insurance mandates, the headlines usually focus on private health plans. But roughly one in five American women between 50 and 64 rely on Medicaid, and until …
If you live in New Jersey, your health insurer is now required by law to cover hormone therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, bone density screenings, and mental health care related …
The 2025 federal spending bill (OBBBA Act) blocked Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood and some other large reproductive health providers for one year, triggering lawsuits and emergency funding responses from …
Illinois has become the country’s most important access point for abortion care, especially since the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. Surrounded by states with strict limits or total …
Maternal health outcomes in Illinois reflect a mix of strong protections, expanded access, and persistent gaps in care.
While the state has taken steps to improve coverage and support services, …
Florida has been at the center of policy changes affecting women’s health and rights. In 2024, the state implemented a six-week abortion ban after the Florida Supreme Court …
Two recent federal developments are drawing new attention to medication abortion, which is now used in more than half of all abortions in the United States.
On May 1, a …
As of 2026, Tennessee has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, with a near-total ban and very limited exceptions. For most people, abortion care is not …
As of 2026, access to IVF in Alabama remains shaped by ongoing legal uncertainty following a 2024 state Supreme Court ruling that classified frozen embryos as “children” under state law. …
