Gov. Whitmer Proclaims Week of May 11-17 as Women's Health Week

LANSING, MI - On May 12, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed the week of May 11, 2025, as Women's Health Week, promoting the work Michigan has done to protect Michiganders from attacks on their reproductive freedom, basic health care, and Medicaid coverage. Governor Whitmer and the state of Michigan invite community members, women’s health stakeholders, and health care professionals to participate in activities relating to improving the health and quality of life of all girls and women.  

Governor Whitmer has fought throughout her career to protect and expand reproductive freedom. In 2023, the governor repealed Michigan’s extreme 1931 abortion ban after Michiganders showed up at the ballot box to enshrine reproductive freedom in the state’s constitution. That same year she signed the Reproductive Health Act into law which has protected every Michigander’s constitutional right to make their own decisions about their own body and made it easier to access abortion care by lowering out-of-pocket costs. The governor has also worked to expand access to contraception and improve investments towards maternal and infant health.   

If Medicaid funding were cut, pregnant women would lose access to critical prenatal care and procedures. Medicaid covers 45% of births statewide and the proposed cuts would gut $2.3 billion from Michigan hospitals, limiting their ability to provide care to pregnant women across the state. Specifically, expecting moms would lose out on services like regular checkups, screenings, and counseling, negatively impacting their ability to have a healthy and safe pregnancy, labor, and delivery.   

“Women’s Health Week provides the opportunity to reflect and improve the health of Michigan women and girls,” said Governor Whitmer. “Here in Michigan, we have worked to ensure that protections are in place for women, so we don’t have to worry about access to reproductive care and can instead focus on caring for our loved ones. There is still more work to do to ensure that Michigan women and girls have access to health care, safe spaces, and healthy food. Let’s work together to find ways to uplift and support women and girls so they can lead healthier and empowered lives.”  

““Women’s Health Week is a vital reminder that women’s health - including reproductive health - must be prioritized, protected and accessible to all,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Chief Medical Executive. “From preventive screenings, contraception and pregnancy care to safe, legal abortion, every woman deserves the tools, resources and support needed to make informed decisions about her body and future. MDHHS is committed to ensuring that all women in Michigan can access the care they need to lead healthy, empowered lives.”  

“Improving health outcomes for women and girls in Michigan is core to our mission to help women across the state thrive,” said Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the Michigan Women’s Commission. “This important proclamation echoes the Commission’s ongoing conversations to address menopause in the workplace, shining a light on often overlooked issues that impact women’s quality of life. This Women’s Health Week, let’s keep building a Michigan that supports women’s health and wellbeing at every stage of life.”  

Governor Whitmer’s Historic Wins for Women’s Health: 

• Signed the Reproductive Health Act to decriminalize abortions and ensure access to reproductive healthcare.  

• Repealed Michigan’s extreme 1931 abortion ban. 

• Signed a law prohibiting employers from discriminating against women because they’ve had an abortion. 

• Signed bills decriminalizing surrogacy and protecting children born through IVF in Michigan. 

• Announced more than 300 locations across the state now have free contraception resources available for Michigan families through the Take Control of Your Birth Control program. 

• Filed a proactive lawsuit and petitioned the Michigan Supreme Court to protect abortion access for more than 2.2 million Michiganders of reproductive age. 

• Expanded access to high-quality and affordable child care for 150,000 more children.  

• Consistently invested and expanded in Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, an initiative to address disproportionate racial impacts of maternal and infant mortality. 

• Provided free breakfast and lunch to all 1.4 million public school students and forgiving all school meal debt. Continued summer meals so every kid eats free.    

View the full proclamation here.