Best and worst states for women's health

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October 29, 2018
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Best and worst states for women's health

The quality of women's health care in the United States varies wildly between states, income levels, and ethnic backgrounds. From heart disease and cancer rates to mental health and prenatal care, not all parts of the country are created equal.

Recent reporting reveals this is the only country in the developed world where women who give birth are statistically  than their mothers were a generation ago. At least two women die giving birth every day, in part due to , . To get a more complete picture of women's health in every state, 麻豆原创 calculating an index using data from the Kaiser Family Foundation's State Profiles for Women's Health . Each state was given a score out of 100, with more points given to states with lower percentages of women reporting fair or poor health status, poor mental health status, being uninsured (up to 20), being diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, dying due to heart disease (up to 10), receiving inadequate prenatal care, and higher rates of seniors being up-to-date on preventative services available to them (up to 5).

Is your state doing the most to protect your health or that of your loved ones? Read on to find out.

#51. Alabama

Women's health score: 54.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 24% (Rank: #47)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #41)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #42)

Breast cancer incidence: 123.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #40)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #45)

Deaths due to heart disease: 181.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #47)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.8% (Rank: #43)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 42.2% (Rank: #48)

Alabama鈥檚 health system as a whole is struggling, in part due to under the Affordable Care Act and its rural location. Studies have shown that expanding Medicaid would  by reducing the rate of uninsured women and giving them access to reproductive care that previous insurance plans were not required to provide. Recently, the state鈥檚 attempt to ban the most common method of second-trimester abortion was , a case reproductive rights advocates saw as a victory for women鈥檚 health.

#50. Arkansas

Women's health score: 55

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 26% (Rank: #50)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #43)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #38)

Breast cancer incidence: 117.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #25)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #50)

Deaths due to heart disease: 175.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #46)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 23.0% (Rank: #51)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.0% (Rank: #33)

Arkansas has recently implemented laws that encourage breastfeeding and provide local health units offering . These units were set up to combat the number of women who currently receive poor prenatal care. However, the state鈥檚 increase the rates of women's death related to heart disease. Also, cancer patients in Arkansas are than those in other states because of the state鈥檚 high poverty and poor access to transportation in its many rural areas.

#49. West Virginia

Women's health score: 55.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 27% (Rank: #51)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #36)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #36)

Breast cancer incidence: 119.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #31)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #51)

Deaths due to heart disease: 155.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #42)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.0% (Rank: #20)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 39.0% (Rank: #50)

West Virginia made the news earlier this year when . The opioid crisis has also hit the state hard, and the rate of overdose deaths in women . Recovery from addiction is made more difficult by . This is particularly worrying in a state that has suffered the collapse of the coal industry and other local economies.

#48. Louisiana

Women's health score: 55.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 24% (Rank: #46)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 43% (Rank: #48)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #43)

Breast cancer incidence: 126.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #43)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #28)

Deaths due to heart disease: 169.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #45)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.4% (Rank: #36)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 45.0% (Rank: #43)

After being ranked last in women鈥檚 health in 2015 by America鈥檚 Health Rating, and being given an F rating in 2016 by the Institute for Women鈥檚 Health Policy Research, Louisiana of enabling more women to access preventative care that they otherwise might have to forgo due to cost. Tulane University also , which aims reduce .

#47. Mississippi

Women's health score: 56.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 26% (Rank: #49)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #28)

Women uninsured: 15% (Rank: #48)

Breast cancer incidence: 117.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #26)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #13)

Deaths due to heart disease: 187.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #48)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 13.2% (Rank: #18)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 46.1% (Rank: #40)

Mississippi is the state with the most abortion restrictions. A law was recently signed banning abortions any . The state's one remaining clinic and other restrictive laws. The Women's Health Foundation of Mississippi aims to reduce poverty and  by working with teenagers to prevent teen pregnancy, inform them about sexual health, and give them access to higher education.

#46. Tennessee

Women's health score: 56.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 22% (Rank: #45)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #35)

Women uninsured: 13% (Rank: #45)

Breast cancer incidence: 122.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #38)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #34)

Deaths due to heart disease: 162.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #44)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.2% (Rank: #35)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 40.7% (Rank: #49)

Tennessee鈥檚 high rates of maternal mortality, excessive drinking, and obesity all contribute to the state鈥檚 consistently . Organizations like are working to improve access and care. In particular, to expand its reach and integrate more services.

#45. Oklahoma

Women's health score: 57

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 22% (Rank: #44)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #27)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #40)

Breast cancer incidence: 121.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #37)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #33)

Deaths due to heart disease: 188.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #49)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.8% (Rank: #44)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 47.6% (Rank: #36)

Oklahoma has , increased co-pays for SoonerCare (the state鈥檚 name for Medicaid), and cut funding for suicide-prevention initiatives and to community health care in underserved areas. In a more progressive move,  a law that would have allowed law enforcement to enact heavy criminal penalties on health care clinics providing abortion services to women.

#44. Kentucky

Women's health score: 58

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 25% (Rank: #48)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #42)

Women uninsured: 8% (Rank: #33)

Breast cancer incidence: 126.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #44)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #36)

Deaths due to heart disease: 157.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #43)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.0% (Rank: #21)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 45.0% (Rank: #42)

Like many rural areas, Kentucky struggles with enabling equal access to health services for those in fringe parts of the state. To combat this, several centers that focus specifically on women鈥檚 health have opened鈥攊ncluding a women鈥檚 center in the and .

#43. Texas

Women's health score: 59.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 21% (Rank: #42)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #13)

Women uninsured: 19% (Rank: #50)

Breast cancer incidence: 112.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #14)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #32)

Deaths due to heart disease: 133.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #34)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 22.4% (Rank: #49)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 46.9% (Rank: #37)

Texas defunded Planned Parenthood in 2013, without reproductive care and other health services. The program created to fill this gap, Texas Healthy Women, : Almost half the centers in the network didn't see any patients in 2017鈥檚 fiscal year.

#42. Illinois

Women's health score: 59.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #35)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #40)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #37)

Breast cancer incidence: 134.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #50)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #48)

Deaths due to heart disease: 133.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #35)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.8% (Rank: #25)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 42.7% (Rank: #47)

Illinois has implemented to offer women mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams, and Pap smears in the hopes of catching and treating health issues early on. The state also hosted the , designed to raise awareness about different issues in women's health.

#41. Missouri

Women's health score: 59.7

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 20% (Rank: #40)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 39% (Rank: #22)

Women uninsured: 11% (Rank: #39)

Breast cancer incidence: 129.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #46)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #39)

Deaths due to heart disease: 155.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #41)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.5% (Rank: #24)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 49.0% (Rank: #26)

Women鈥檚 health has been making news in Missouri after the legality of fake women鈥檚 health centers, or 鈥渃risis pregnancy centers,鈥 where people who are not health care professionals give advice to pregnant women, . This comes amid a rapid decline in health outcomes for Missouri women, owed in part to increased maternal mortality, high use of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.

#40. South Carolina

Women's health score: 59.8

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 20% (Rank: #39)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #34)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #41)

Breast cancer incidence: 129.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #47)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #16)

Deaths due to heart disease: 137.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #37)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 18.0% (Rank: #45)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.3% (Rank: #32)

Affordability and access are some of the biggest issues that stymie women鈥檚 health in South Carolina, for high out-of-pocket costs that lead many to skip potentially life-saving check-ups. Psychiatrists have also struggled with increased demand in recent years; a problem with South Carolina primary care physicians to reduce the number of necessary psychiatric visits while upholding the quality of care.

#39. Georgia

Women's health score: 60.4

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #34)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 36% (Rank: #6)

Women uninsured: 15% (Rank: #47)

Breast cancer incidence: 126.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #42)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #35)

Deaths due to heart disease: 143.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #38)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.5% (Rank: #42)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 45.6% (Rank: #41)

The Women of W.O.R.T.H. clinic in Rome, Ga., seeks to provide low-cost health care to everyone who walks through the door. The clinic who often can鈥檛 afford important tests, including Pap smears and breast exams. The services it offers focus in particular on cancer detection and treatment; often these are not available at other free clinics.

#38. Rhode Island

Women's health score: 76.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #23)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #25)

Women uninsured: n/a (Rank: n/a)

Breast cancer incidence: 136.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #51)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #26)

Deaths due to heart disease: 122.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #27)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 6.0% (Rank: #2)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 53.4% (Rank: #8)

Rhode Island鈥檚 governor recently into law. These initiatives increase access to mastectomies (often needed by women with breast cancer), provide a full year of access to contraceptive care, and allow pregnant minors to get prenatal care without contacting their parents for permission.

(Note: Rhode Island had no insurance data available and has been indexed to 80.)

#37. North Carolina

Women's health score: 61.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 20% (Rank: #38)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #12)

Women uninsured: 13% (Rank: #44)

Breast cancer incidence: 132.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #49)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #37)

Deaths due to heart disease: 124.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #28)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.0% (Rank: #33)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.9% (Rank: #11)

North Carolina's is released every two years and allows the state to determine the areas it needs to target in order to improve women's health. one in every five Rhode Island women didn't see a doctor due to the cost of visits; and that women of color in the state were less likely to be diagnosed with an illness or see a doctor.

#36. Florida

Women's health score: 62.7

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 20% (Rank: #37)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 35% (Rank: #4)

Women uninsured: 16% (Rank: #49)

Breast cancer incidence: 113.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #17)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #38)

Deaths due to heart disease: 115.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #23)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.6% (Rank: #38)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 50.6% (Rank: #20)

Despite Florida鈥檚 comparatively low number of women who report poor mental health, across the state along with instances of abuse and chronic disease.  has been Florida鈥檚 refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Despite Florida being home to 20% of the 3 million people who could be covered by Medicaid under such an expansion, outgoing governor Rick Scott rejected a proposal to expand it in 2015.

#35. Utah

Women's health score: 64.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 13% (Rank: #5)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 47% (Rank: #50)

Women uninsured: 14.% (Rank: #46)

Breast cancer incidence: 113.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #16)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #47)

Deaths due to heart disease: 130.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #31)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 10.2% (Rank: #8)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.4% (Rank: #30)

Utah women to renew their contraceptives directly from a pharmacist without needing to go to the doctor鈥檚 office. This move is especially helpful to low-income women who often don鈥檛 have room in their work schedules for these appointments鈥攐r the money to pay for them. The law  while the state determines what training pharmacists will receive and which rules will accompany the transition. The law is expected to take effect by the end of the year.

#34. New Mexico

Women's health score: 66.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 22% (Rank: #43)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 38% (Rank: #18)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #29)

Breast cancer incidence: 107.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #3)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #49)

Deaths due to heart disease: 111.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #7)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 22.9% (Rank: #50)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.6% (Rank: #28)

Indigenous women in New Mexico are rethinking women鈥檚 health and seeking to provide traditional and culturally relevant care to those giving birth. One such woman, Navajo midwife Nicolle Gonzales, . That organization aims to open a reproductive center where staff members are aware of cultural practices and connect the experience of giving birth to patients' cultural histories.

#33. Nevada

Women's health score: 67.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 21% (Rank: #41)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 38% (Rank: #17)

Women uninsured: 11% (Rank: #27)

Breast cancer incidence: 104.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #2)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #6)

Deaths due to heart disease: 151.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #36)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.4% (Rank: #40)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 37.9% (Rank: #51)


New  guaranteeing all women access to contraception, preventative care screenings, and vaccines. The legislation also added workplace protections for victims of domestic violence鈥攖he 鈥攁nd improved daycare facilities for children.

#32. Indiana

Women's health score: 68.4

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 20% (Rank: #36)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 44% (Rank: #49)

Women uninsured: 8% (Rank: #16)

Breast cancer incidence: 121.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #8)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #11)

Deaths due to heart disease: 143.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #30)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.8% (Rank: #32)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 47.6% (Rank: #35)

is a charity focused on supporting women who are receiving breast cancer treatment in the state. The organization pays for non-medical costs that arise during treatment such as meals, childcare, and yard maintenance.

#31. Arizona

Women's health score: 68.6

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #33)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 38% (Rank: #16)

Women uninsured: 15% (Rank: #34)

Breast cancer incidence: 110.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #4)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #10)

Deaths due to heart disease: 107.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #5)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 18.9% (Rank: #46)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.4% (Rank: #14)

Health care in  in recent years as more and more women have entered the field. A state with large stretches of rural desert communities, the Arizona Rural Women鈥檚 Health Network formed in order to disseminate vital health information to even the most remote parts of the state.

#30. Alaska

Women's health score: 68.7

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #16)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #31)

Women uninsured: 15% (Rank: #35)

Breast cancer incidence: 122.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #10)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #4)

Deaths due to heart disease: n/a per 100,000 women (Rank: #n/a)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.2% (Rank: #39)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 46.6% (Rank: #38)

Alaska passed a law in 2016  could teach, stoking concerns among sexual and reproductive health advocates over the state's already high rates of STDs and teenage pregnancies. Alaska did recently open the Alaska Native Women鈥檚 Center, which works to combat high rates of domestic violence suffered by Native Alaskan women in the state.

(NOTE: Alaska has no available data for heart disease rate and has been indexed to 90.)

#29. Idaho

Women's health score: 69.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #15)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #38)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #31)

Breast cancer incidence: 124.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #15)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #15)

Deaths due to heart disease: 123.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #19)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.9% (Rank: #14)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 42.9% (Rank: #46)

Lawmakers in 2018 asked  requiring abortion providers to turn over to the state personal information about women who received abortions. Idaho , which doesn鈥檛 give many people access to treatment for mental illness, drug, or alcohol abuse, adversely affecting women鈥檚 mental health overall.

#28. New Jersey

Women's health score: 69.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 18% (Rank: #29)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 34% (Rank: #3)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #23)

Breast cancer incidence: 134.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #36)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #43)

Deaths due to heart disease: 132.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #26)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.0% (Rank: #26)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 44.6% (Rank: #44)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy鈥檚 first law passed following his 2017 election  in the state. A recent rise in STD rates in the state have l for additional funding for women鈥檚 health centers.

#27. Wyoming

Women's health score: 69.6

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #22)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 39% (Rank: #20)

Women uninsured: 13% (Rank: #32)

Breast cancer incidence: 104.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #1)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #42)

Deaths due to heart disease: 124.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #22)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.1% (Rank: #22)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.8% (Rank: #27)

For the high number of pregnant women living in rural parts of Wyoming, . Expecting mothers are forced to endure long drives, and those with complicated pregnancies or births find themselves without the care they need. Proposals to defund Planned Parenthood clinics, if passed, would  as many low-income women visit the single facility in the state to receive their care.

#26. Virginia

Women's health score: 69.9

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 17% (Rank: #25)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #11)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #28)

Breast cancer incidence: 124.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #13)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #18)

Deaths due to heart disease: 122.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #17)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 12.3% (Rank: #15)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 49.7% (Rank: #24)

Medicaid coverage  and is slated for implementation in 2019. That expansion is expected to reduce the percentage of uninsured people in the state and allow women affordable access to the care they need.

#25. California

Women's health score: 70.4

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #32)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #26)

Women uninsured: 9% (Rank: #21)

Breast cancer incidence: 121.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #9)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #29)

Deaths due to heart disease: 112.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #9)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 9.6% (Rank: #5)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 44.3% (Rank: #45)


Despite the increase in maternal mortality in the country as a whole, California has become a pioneer in the push to decrease the number of women who die in childbirth. The state's  maternal mortality review worked to discover the most common causes of maternal mortality and improve hospitals鈥 ability to combat them in a triage setting. California is also a leader  and has successfully decreased rates of teen pregnancy throughout the state.

#24. Delaware

Women's health score: 70.8

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #31)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 36% (Rank: #5)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #24)

Breast cancer incidence: 136.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #39)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 8.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #2)

Deaths due to heart disease: 129.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #24)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.7% (Rank: #30)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 51.3% (Rank: #18)

Delaware has quietly gone from having one of the highest rates of unplanned pregnancy in the country to becoming a leader in expanding access to birth control and family planning services for its residents. Unplanned pregnancies in Delaware dropped by 15% following the implementation of the , which integrates primary and reproductive care and was offered free of charge.

#23. Michigan

Women's health score: 71.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 19% (Rank: #30)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 43% (Rank: #47)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #11)

Breast cancer incidence: 119.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #6)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #14)

Deaths due to heart disease: 160.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #39)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 12.5% (Rank: #17)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 50.4% (Rank: #22)

Reforming Michigan's  became a political issue . A recently came together in an attempt to come up with their own bill to tackle the problem, and four local community organizations were each to boost their services in their communities.

#22. Ohio

Women's health score: 71.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 18% (Rank: #28)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #33)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #9)

Breast cancer incidence: 127.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #20)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #20)

Deaths due to heart disease: 148.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #33)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.5% (Rank: #37)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.5% (Rank: #29)

Appalachian Ohio suffers from a similar coverage gap as other rural areas of the country, with 30% fewer primary care physicians than the rest of the state. The Appalachian Women's Health Fund has partnered with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio in of Planned Parenthood's Athens Health Center in the 23 counties in which it operates with an infusion of funding.

#21. New York

Women's health score: 71.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 18% (Rank: #27)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 39% (Rank: #21)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #8)

Breast cancer incidence: 134.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #33)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #41)

Deaths due to heart disease: 145.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #32)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 12.5% (Rank: #16)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 48.3% (Rank: #31)

Health care disparities between white women and women of color continue to be an issue in New York, with black women in New York City. And while New York was one of the first states to legalize abortion in 1970, . Pro-choice and women鈥檚 health advocates are pushing for updates, claiming the procedure is technically a crime if performed after 24 weeks, with the exception of saving the life of the woman.

#20. Montana

Women's health score: 71.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #21)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #10)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #25)

Breast cancer incidence: 130.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #24)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #24)

Deaths due to heart disease: 118.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #15)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 16.1% (Rank: #34)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 47.9% (Rank: #34)

A breast cancer survivor with years of experience in the health care field has opened  battling the same disease. Michelle Knowles hopes to aid those struggling to figure out the best way forward and provide information to help them make the best decisions for their family.

#19. North Dakota

Women's health score: 71.8

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #20)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #24)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #26)

Breast cancer incidence: 133.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #32)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #9)

Deaths due to heart disease: 111.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #8)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 13.6% (Rank: #19)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 49.1% (Rank: #25)

North Dakota by approving funding for a new, tribal health initiative. More than $300,000 were allocated to the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program on the Lake Traverse Reservation. The money will be used to ensure the healthy development of and support for women and their families.

#18. Colorado

Women's health score: 72.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #14)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #37)

Women uninsured: 12% (Rank: #30)

Breast cancer incidence: 123.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #11)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #8)

Deaths due to heart disease: 100.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #2)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.7% (Rank: #29)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 55.2% (Rank: #3)

The Women鈥檚 Foundation of Colorado  to help the organization expand its existing infrastructures in the state. Women in Colorado are still more likely than men to suffer from poor health. The foundation provides economic support to relieve financial stress and in turn improve overall health outcomes.

#17. Oregon

Women's health score: 73

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 18% (Rank: #26)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 47% (Rank: #51)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #12)

Breast cancer incidence: 115.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #5)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #27)

Deaths due to heart disease: 104.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #4)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.6% (Rank: #13)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 50.2% (Rank: #23)

 to determine whether the state should stop using public funds to pay for abortions. Opponents of the measure argue that it makes it difficult for low-income women to take control of their reproductive health, while supporters point out that women will still be able to seek the procedure in the state sans public funds.

#16. Wisconsin

Women's health score: 73.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #19)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #32)

Women uninsured: 8% (Rank: #14)

Breast cancer incidence: 129.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #22)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #30)

Deaths due to heart disease: 121.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #16)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.0% (Rank: #9)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 55.2% (Rank: #2)

Wisconsin's Well Woman Program . However, the program , decreasing the number of program coordinators and providers offering these services.


 

#15. Pennsylvania

Women's health score: 73.7

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 17% (Rank: #24)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 43% (Rank: #46)

Women uninsured: 6% (Rank: #5)

Breast cancer incidence: 131.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #28)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #31)

Deaths due to heart disease: 140.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #29)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.6% (Rank: #28)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.3% (Rank: #15)

The bipartisan legislative caucus on Women鈥檚 Health in Pennsylvania  aimed at improving women鈥檚 health in three key areas: safety and dignity, economic security, and access to health care. The agenda , as the caucus advocates for workplace accommodations for pregnant and working mothers, improving nursing home care, increasing the minimum wage, and pushing for reforms on how sexual assault is handled on college campuses.

#14. Kansas

Women's health score: 73.9

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #18)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #9)

Women uninsured: 9% (Rank: #18)

Breast cancer incidence: 129.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #23)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 10.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #17)

Deaths due to heart disease: 123.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #20)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 10.1% (Rank: #6)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 50.4% (Rank: #21)

Topeka Veterans Affairs opened a new center for women in October of 2018 in order to better meet the needs of increasing numbers of female veterans. This marks a huge step forward for the 4,000 women now using the service. Just one decade ago, the VA had a single provider for women that operated out of one room.

#13. Connecticut

Women's health score: 73.9

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #13)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 39% (Rank: #19)

Women uninsured: 8% (Rank: #13)

Breast cancer incidence: 143.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #45)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #44)

Deaths due to heart disease: 115.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #12)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.1% (Rank: #10)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.4% (Rank: #13)

Using the existing framework provided by the Affordable Care Act, Connecticut the provisions that protect women鈥檚 health into state law. Meanwhile, one women鈥檚 health center recently opened in Glastonbury that offers evening appointments in order to allow women to chose times that fit their schedules.

#12. Nebraska

Women's health score: 74.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #12)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 38% (Rank: #15)

Women uninsured: 9% (Rank: #19)

Breast cancer incidence: 127.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #19)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #19)

Deaths due to heart disease: 113.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #10)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 14.3% (Rank: #23)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 51.1% (Rank: #19)

Nebraska has  to allow new mothers to take time off with their children. In this system, coworkers may donate paid days off so new mothers can spend extra time with infants without the associated financial burden. The U.S. is the only high-income country in the world lacking a national policy of paid parental leave, for working moms and improve their health.

#11. Maryland

Women's health score: 75.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #11)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 38% (Rank: #14)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #7)

Breast cancer incidence: 131.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #29)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #40)

Deaths due to heart disease: 131.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #25)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 19.6% (Rank: #47)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.3% (Rank: #16)

The rising rate of maternal mortality in the United States has not spared Maryland, and hospitals in the state are taking on their own initiatives in hopes of reversing the trend.  gift cards to new mothers to incentivize coming back to the doctor鈥檚 office after giving birth, and provides transportation and daycare to make sure appointments are kept. The non-profit also trains moms to advocate for themselves in the face of doctors who sometimes .

#10. Washington

Women's health score: 75.8

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #10)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 43% (Rank: #45)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #10)

Breast cancer incidence: 132.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #30)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #23)

Deaths due to heart disease: 104.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #3)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.2% (Rank: #27)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 53.3% (Rank: #9)

Washington has 鈥35% in comparison to the 45% national average. In early 2018, the state passed a series of women鈥檚 health laws to enforce Washington's robust protection of reproductive health, including one law requiring insurance companies to cover contraceptives without copays in addition to maternal care and abortion services.

#9. Maine

Women's health score: 76.7

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 16% (Rank: #17)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 42% (Rank: #39)

Women uninsured: 8% (Rank: #15)

Breast cancer incidence: 124.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #12)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 8.3 per 100,000 women (Rank: #1)

Deaths due to heart disease: 117.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #14)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 9.0% (Rank: #3)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 55.1% (Rank: #4)

One Maine primary practice in the weeks and months after they鈥檝e given birth. Patients at InterMed will visit with a nurse shortly before they give birth to get all the information they need to lay out a plan for their postpartum period. In addition to the typical doctor鈥檚 visit six weeks after the birth, doctors will also make multiple check-in phone calls to make sure everything is running smoothly.

#8. New Hampshire

Women's health score: 77.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 13% (Rank: #4)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 40% (Rank: #23)

Women uninsured: 9% (Rank: #20)

Breast cancer incidence: 145.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #48)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #3)

Deaths due to heart disease: 116.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #13)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 9.4% (Rank: #4)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 54.7% (Rank: #6)

The is a grass-roots, statewide campaign hoping to eradicate the disease and provide funds for low-income women struggling to pay for treatment. Members focus on research as well as politics, to advocate for policies that will support efforts to eradicate breast cancer.

#7. South Dakota

Women's health score: 78.1

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 14.% (Rank: #7)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 33% (Rank: #1)

Women uninsured: 10% (Rank: #22)

Breast cancer incidence: 127.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #18)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #5)

Deaths due to heart disease: 114.4 per 100,000 women (Rank: #11)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 15.8% (Rank: #31)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 52.7% (Rank: #12)

South Dakota's sprawling nature, as with rural outposts across the country, makes access to health care a challenge for many women. Rural South Dakotans face some of the biggest gaps in maternity care and highest infant mortality rates in the country. These gaps are only expanding as the state struggles to keep doctors within its borders. There is currently no residency program for aspiring OB-GYNs in South Dakota.

#6. Massachusetts

Women's health score: 78.4

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #9)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 43% (Rank: #44)

Women uninsured: 6% (Rank: #4)

Breast cancer incidence: 137.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #41)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.2 per 100,000 women (Rank: #25)

Deaths due to heart disease: 107.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #6)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 10.2% (Rank: #7)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 53.8% (Rank: #7)

A ballot initiative in Massachusetts this November asks voters to approve specified nurse-to-patient ratios, which varies based on the type of care being provided. Supporters argue that this improves patient health and outcomes, while opponents say it  and may not actually improve patient health.

#5. District of Columbia

Women's health score: 80.5

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 13% (Rank: #3)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #30)

Women uninsured: 5% (Rank: #1)

Breast cancer incidence: 121.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #7)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 12.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #46)

Deaths due to heart disease: 161.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #40)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 21.7% (Rank: #48)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 46.4% (Rank: #39)

As the capital of the United States, Washington D.C. is not part of any state and has no representation in Congress. Instead, the local government creates laws within the city, but Congress holds the right to veto any laws passed. This has caused some tension between the two, especially in the realm of women鈥檚 health. While Congress attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017, which would remove contraceptive benefits and cause women to be charged more for their insurance, the to protect those rights with the knowledge that Congress could overturn them as well.

#4. Iowa

Women's health score: 81

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 15% (Rank: #8)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #8)

Women uninsured: 6% (Rank: #2)

Breast cancer incidence: 129.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #21)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.6 per 100,000 women (Rank: #7)

Deaths due to heart disease: 124.7 per 100,000 women (Rank: #21)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.2% (Rank: #12)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 51.5% (Rank: #17)

Iowa may have excellent maternity care right now, but some worry that could be jeopardized by a recent state law that bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected (usually around six weeks). The law could , as the University of Iowa鈥檚 obstetrics and gynecology program must meet federal requirements that students get experience with all form of contraception and abortion if they so choose.

#3. Hawaii

Women's health score: 81.2

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 14.% (Rank: #6)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 34% (Rank: #2)

Women uninsured: 7% (Rank: #6)

Breast cancer incidence: 134.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #35)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 9.9 per 100,000 women (Rank: #12)

Deaths due to heart disease: n/a per 100,000 women (Rank: #n/a)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 17.5% (Rank: #41)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 53.1% (Rank: #10)

The Office of Hawaiian affairs  outlining the health and well-being of Native Hawaiian women on the islands. Taking into account , and other crucial data points, the report highlights areas in which these women鈥檚 unique culture can be used to improve their health. This could mean introducing , which might be used in other regions or with other groups in the country.

(NOTE: Hawaii has no data on heart disease deaths and has been indexed to 90.)

#2. Minnesota

Women's health score: 81.3

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 12% (Rank: #1)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 37% (Rank: #7)

Women uninsured: 9% (Rank: #17)

Breast cancer incidence: 134.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #34)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #21)

Deaths due to heart disease: 88.0 per 100,000 women (Rank: #1)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 11.2% (Rank: #11)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 54.8% (Rank: #5)

A Minnesota venture capital firm called Capita3 recently raised $1.2 million to fund  over the course of the next two years. The firm seeks to make strides in a variety of fields, including genomics and women's health more generally. This can be vitally important for women who feel the health field doesn't listen to them and their needs. This is exactly what inspired Dr. Donna Block in 2004 to start her own clinic in Edina, Minn., where women's health and wellness needs would be listened to.

#1. Vermont

Women's health score: 83.8

Women reporting fair or poor health status: 13% (Rank: #2)

Women reporting poor mental health status: 41% (Rank: #29)

Women uninsured: 6% (Rank: #3)

Breast cancer incidence: 130.5 per 100,000 women (Rank: #27)

Ovarian cancer incidence: 11.1 per 100,000 women (Rank: #22)

Deaths due to heart disease: 122.8 per 100,000 women (Rank: #18)

Women receiving inadequate prenatal care: 4.9% (Rank: #1)

Women ages 65+ up to date on key preventative services: 56.1% (Rank: #1)

Vermont in 2017 , which provides women access to a number of preventative care services at OB-GYN offices and other women鈥檚 health clinics. This initiative offers improved psychosocial screening, family planning, and access to long-acting, reversible contraception.  The recent increase in staff ensures that women have access to this without extended waiting periods.

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