Jenny Higgins

Jenny Higgins is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health. She is the Director of UW CORE and the Population and Reproductive Health Division within her department. Her work bridges public health, gender studies, and reproductive justice, focusing on how individuals achieve sexual and reproductive health goals within their lived contexts.

Her research interests include:

• Abortion access and policy implications
• Contraceptive acceptability and sexual well-being
• Socioeconomic and structural determinants of sexual health
• Reproductive justice and health equity
• Sexual minority women’s healthcare experiences
• Pregnancy desires and decision-making

Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on the intersection of sexuality and contraception, particularly how pleasure, socioeconomic status, and identity shape reproductive choices and outcomes. She uses mixed-methods approaches to understand patient experiences and improve clinical practices.

Notable scientific contributions include leadership in the HER Salt Lake Contraceptive Initiative and research on sexual acceptability of IUDs and condoms. Her work has been featured in JAMA Internal Medicine, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and The Journal of Sex Research.

She actively mentors trainees and collaborates with mentees on research. She has not received any explicitly listed scientific awards in the provided text. She leads UW CORE, a research hub focused on reproductive health needs in Wisconsin and beyond, and contributes to national discourse on reproductive health post-Dobbs.