SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)
                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                              Exchange Act of 1934


Filed  by  the  registrant    [X]

Filed  by  a  party  other  than  the  registrant     [ ]

Check  the  appropriate  box:
 [X]   Preliminary  proxy  statement
 [ ]   Definitive  proxy  statement
 [ ]   Definitive  additional  materials
 [ ]   Soliciting  material  pursuant  to  Rule  14a-11(c)  or  Rule  14a-12

                            THE FEMALE HEALTH COMPANY
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                   Registrant
                   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)

Payment  of  filing  fee  (Check  the  appropriate  box):
 [X]  No  fee  required.
 [ ]  Fee  computed on  table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
     (1)  Title  of  each  class  of  securities  to  which transaction applies:
     (2)  Aggregate  number  of  securities  to  which  transaction  applies:
     (3)  Per  unit  price  or  other  underlying  value of transaction computed
          pursuant  to  Exchange  Act  Rule  0-11:
     (4)  Proposed  maximum  aggregate  value  of  transaction:
     (5)  Total  fee  paid:
 [ ]  Fee  paid  previously  with  preliminary  materials:

 [ ]  Check  box  if  any  part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and  identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously.  Identify  the  previous filing by registration statement number, or
the  form  or  schedule  and  the  date  of  its  filing.
     (1)  Amount  previously  paid:
     (2)  Form,  schedule  or  registration  statement  no.:
     (3)  Filing  party:
     (4)  Date  filed:


                            THE FEMALE HEALTH COMPANY
                             515 North State Street
                                   Suite 2225
                             Chicago, Illinois 60610

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                            TO BE HELD MARCH 27, 2003

     To  the  Shareholders  of  The  Female  Health  Company:

     Notice  is  hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of The
Female Health Company (the "Company" or "FHC") will be held at The Hampton Inn &
Suites,  Alder  Room, 33 West Illinois Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610, on March
27,  2003  at  2:00  p.m.,  local  time,  for  the  following  purposes:

     1.     To  amend  the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  Articles  of
Incorporation  to  increase  the  number of shares of the Company's Common Stock
authorized  from  35,500,000 to 38,500,000.  Details of the proposed increase in
authorized  shares  of  Common  Stock  are  set  forth in the accompanying Proxy
Statement  which  you  are  urged  to  read  carefully.

     2.     To  elect eight members to the Board of Directors, the names of whom
are  set  forth  in  the  accompanying  proxy statement, to serve until the 2004
Annual  Meeting.

     3.     To  consider  and  act  upon a proposal to ratify the appointment of
McGladrey  & Pullen, LLP as the Company's independent public accountants for the
fiscal  year  ending  September  30,  2003.

     4.     To  transact  such  other  business  as may properly come before the
Annual  Meeting  and  any  adjournments  thereof.

     Shareholders  of  record  at  the close of business on January 17, 2003 are
entitled  to vote at the Annual Meeting.  All shareholders are cordially invited
to  attend  the  Annual  Meeting  in  person.  Shareholders who are unable to be
present  in  person  are  requested  to execute and return promptly the enclosed
proxy,  which  is  solicited  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Company.

                                       By  Order  of  the  Board  of  Directors,



                                       William  R.  Gargiulo,  Jr.
                                       Secretary

Chicago,  Illinois
February  19,  2003




                            THE FEMALE HEALTH COMPANY
                             515 North State Street
                                   Suite 2225
                             Chicago, Illinois 60610

                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                               FOR THE 2003 ANNUAL
                             MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

     This  Proxy  Statement  is furnished in connection with the solicitation of
proxies  by  the Board of Directors of The Female Health Company (the "Company")
to  be voted at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held at The Hampton Inn
&  Suites,  Alder  Room,  33 West Illinois Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610, , at
2:00 p.m. local time on March 27, 2003, and at any adjournments thereof, for the
purposes  set  forth  in  the  accompanying  Notice  of Meeting.  The mailing to
shareholders  of  this  Proxy Statement and accompanying form of proxy will take
place  on  or  about  February  19,  2003.

                               GENERAL INFORMATION

     The  Board of Directors knows of no business which will be presented to the
Annual  Meeting other than the matters referred to in the accompanying Notice of
Meeting.  However,  if  any  other  matters are properly presented to the Annual
Meeting,  it  is  intended that the persons named in the proxy will vote on such
matters  in  accordance  with  their judgment.  If the enclosed form of proxy is
executed  and returned, it nevertheless may be revoked at any time before it has
been  voted  by  a  later dated proxy or a vote in person at the Annual Meeting.
Shares  represented  by  properly  executed  proxies  received  on behalf of the
Company will be voted at the Annual Meeting (unless revoked prior to their vote)
in  the  manner specified therein.  If no instructions are specified in a signed
proxy returned to the Company, the shares represented thereby will be voted FOR:
(a)  the  amendment  of  the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  Articles  of
Incorporation;  (b)  the election of the directors listed in the enclosed proxy;
and  (c)  ratification  of  McGladrey & Pullen, LLP as the Company's independent
auditors.

     Only holders of the Company's Common Stock (the "Common Stock") and holders
of  the  Company's  Class  A Convertible Preferred Stock-Series 1 (the "Series 1
Preferred  Stock")  whose  names appear of record on the books of the Company at
the  close  of  business  on January 17, 2003 are entitled to vote at the Annual
Meeting.  On  that date, there were 18,898,901 shares of Common Stock and 56,000
shares  of Series 1 Preferred Stock outstanding.  Each share of Common Stock and
Series  1 Preferred Stock is entitled to one vote on each matter to be presented
at the Annual Meeting.  A majority of the votes entitled to be cast with respect
to each matter submitted to the shareholders, represented either in person or by
proxy,  shall  constitute  a  quorum  with  respect  to  such  matter.



     Under  Wisconsin  law, directors are elected by plurality, meaning that the
eight  individuals  receiving  the  largest  number  of  votes  are  elected  as
directors,  and  the ratification of the appointment of the independent auditors
requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented, in person
or  by  proxy,  at  the  Annual  Meeting.   In addition, under Wisconsin law, an
amendment  to  the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation must
be  approved  by  the  affirmative  vote  of holders of two-thirds of the shares
"entitled"  to  vote  on  the  proposal.  Abstentions and broker nonvotes (i.e.,
shares  held  by  brokers  in  street  name,  voting  on  certain matters due to
discretionary authority or instruction from the beneficial owners but not voting
on  other  matters  due  to  lack  of  authority to vote on such matters without
instructions  from  the  beneficial  owners)  will  count  toward  the  quorum
requirement but will not count toward the determination of whether directors are
elected  or  the  appointment of the independent auditors is ratified.  However,
because  the  amendment  to  the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  Articles of
Incorporation  must be approved by the affirmative vote of holders of two-thirds
of  the  Company's outstanding Common Stock and Series 1 Preferred Stock, voting
together,  abstentions  and  broker  nonvotes  will  act  as  a vote against the
proposed  amendment.

      AMENDMENT OF COMPANY'S AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
                                    (ITEM 1)

     The  Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation authorize the
issuance  of  40,515,000 shares consisting of:  (a) 35,500,000 shares designated
as  "Common  Stock"  with  a  par value of $0.01 per share; (b) 5,000,000 shares
designated as "Class A Preferred Stock" with a par value of $0.01 per share; and
(c)  15,000  shares  designated as "Class B Preferred Stock" with a par value of
$0.50  per  share.  The proposed amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated
Articles  of  Incorporation  will  increase the number of shares of Common Stock
which  the  Company  is  authorized to issue from 35,500,000 to 38,500,000.  The
additional  3,000,000  shares of Common Stock will be part of the existing class
of  Common  Stock,  and  if  and  when  issued,  will  have  the same rights and
privileges  as  the  shares  of  Common  Stock presently issued and outstanding.

PURPOSE  OF  THE  PROPOSED  AMENDMENT

     As of February 10, 2003, the Company had 18,898,901 shares of Common Stock,
and  56,000  shares of Series 1 Preferred Stock outstanding.  In addition, as of
February  10,  2003,  the Company has reserved 12,710,175 shares of Common Stock
for  the  purposes  of  covering  options  outstanding under the Company's stock
option  plans,  options the Company is contractually obligated to issue in March
2003,  warrants  outstanding, deferred Common Stock issued to the Company's U.K.
employees  and  conversion  of Series 1 Preferred Stock.  As of the date of this
proxy  statement,  the  Company  has  31,609,076  shares  of Common Stock either
outstanding  or  reserved  to  cover  the commitments set forth in the preceding
sentence,  and,  accordingly,  there  are only 3,890,924 unreserved and unissued
shares  of  Common  Stock  available  for  future  transactions.


                                        2

The Board of Directors believes that the authority to issue additional shares of
Common  Stock is desirable so that, as the need may arise, the Company will have
the  flexibility to issue shares of Common Stock, without the delay of a special
shareholders'  meeting,  in  connection  with  possible  future  transactions,
including  equity financings and management incentive or employee benefit plans.

CERTAIN  EFFECTS  OF  THE  PROPOSED  AMENDMENT

     If the proposed amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation  is  approved  and  effected, future issuances of shares of Common
Stock  may not require the approval of the Company's shareholders.  As a result,
the Board of Directors could issue shares of Common Stock in a manner that might
have the effect of discouraging or making it more difficult for a third party to
acquire  control  of the Company through a tender offer or proxy solicitation or
to  effect  a  merger  or  other business combination that is not favored by the
Board  of  Directors.  In  addition,  issuances  of  shares  of Common Stock may
increase the number of shares of Common Stock that may become available for sale
in the public market and could adversely affect the price of the Common Stock in
the public market.  The issuance of additional shares of Common Stock could also
adversely  affect  the  voting power of the existing shareholders, including the
loss  of  voting  control  to  others.  Holders  of  Common  Stock  do  not have
preemptive  rights  or  other  rights  to subscribe for additional shares in the
event  that  the  Board  of  Directors  determines to issue additional shares of
Common  Stock  in  the  future.

NO  DISSENTER'S  RIGHTS

     Under  Wisconsin  law,  shareholders are not entitled to dissenters' rights
with  respect  to  the  proposed amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated
Articles  of  Incorporation.

RECOMMENDATION  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS

     The  Board  of  Directors  recommends  that  the  shareholders vote FOR the
proposed  amendment  to  the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  Articles  of
Incorporation.  All  shares  of  Common  Stock  represented by properly executed
proxies received prior to or at the Annual Meeting and not revoked will be voted
FOR  the  proposal  unless  a vote against or an abstention with respect to such
proposal is specifically indicated.  If the proposal is adopted by the requisite
vote  of  shareholders,  the  Board of Directors will promptly cause Articles of
Amendment to be filed with the Department of Financial Institutions of the State
of Wisconsin.  The Articles of Amendment will become effective upon such filing.


                                        3

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
                                    (ITEM 2)

     Pursuant  to the authority contained in the Amended and Restated By-Laws of
the  Company,  the Board of Directors has established the number of directors at
eight.  The  Board  of  Directors  has  nominated O.B. Parrish, Mary Ann Leeper,
Ph.D., William R. Gargiulo, Jr., David R. Bethune, Stephen M. Dearholt, James R.
Kerber,  Michael  R.  Walton and Richard E. Wenninger for election as directors,
all  to  serve  until  the  2004  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders.

     As  indicated  below,  all  persons nominated by the Board of Directors are
incumbent directors.  The Company anticipates that all of the nominees listed in
this  Proxy Statement will be candidates when the election is held.  However, if
for  any  reason  any  nominee  is not a candidate at that time, proxies will be
voted for any substitute nominee designated by the Company (except where a proxy
withholds  authority  with  respect  to  the  election  of  directors).

                       NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS DIRECTORS

O.B.  PARRISH
Age:  69;  Elected  Director:  1987;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     O.B.  Parrish  has  served  as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since
1994,  as  acting  Chief  Financial and Accounting Officer from February 1996 to
March  1999 and as the Chairman of the Board and a Director of the Company since
1987.  Mr.  Parrish  is  a  shareholder and has served as the President and as a
Director  of Phoenix Health Care of Illinois, Inc. ("Phoenix of Illinois") since
1987.  Phoenix  of  Illinois  owns approximately 295,000 shares of the Company's
Common  Stock.  Mr. Parrish also is Chairman and a Director of ViatiCare, LLC, a
financial  services  company,  Chairman  and  a  Director  of  MIICRO,  Inc.,  a
neuroimaging company, and Chairman and a Director of Amerimmune Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.  Mr.  Parrish  is  also  a trustee of Lawrence University.  From 1977 until
1986,  Mr.  Parrish  was  President  of  the Global Pharmaceutical Group of G.D.
Searle  & Co. ("Searle"), a pharmaceutical/consumer products company.  From 1974
until  1977,  Mr. Parrish was the President of Searle International, the foreign
sales  operations  of  Searle.  Prior  to  that,  Mr. Parrish was Executive Vice
President  of  Pfizer's  International  Division.

MARY  ANN  LEEPER,  PH.D.
Age:  62;  Elected  Director:  1987;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     Dr.  Leeper  has served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the
Company  since  1996  and as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Female
Health  Company  Division  from  May  1994  until  January  1996, as Senior Vice
President-Development  of  the  Company  from  1989  until January 1996 and as a
Director  of the Company since 1987.  Dr. Leeper is a shareholder and has served
as  a  Vice President and Director of Phoenix of Illinois since 1987.  From 1981
until  1986, Dr. Leeper served as Vice President-Market Development for Searle's
Pharmaceutical  Group  and in various Searle research and development management
positions.  As Vice President-Market Development, Dr. Leeper was responsible for
worldwide  licensing and acquisition, marketing and market research.  In earlier
positions,  she was responsible for preparation of new drug applications and was
a  liaison  with the FDA.  Dr. Leeper currently serves on the Board of Directors
of  the  Temple University School of Pharmacy, the University of Virginia School
of  Nursing and the Northwestern University School of Music.  Dr. Leeper is also
on  the  Board of CEDPA, an international not-for-profit organization working on
women's  issues  in  the  developing  world and is a Director of Influx, Inc., a
pharmaceutical  research  company.  She  is  also  an  adjunct  professor at the
University  of  Virginia  Darden  School  of  Business.


                                        4

DAVID  R.  BETHUNE
Age:  62;  Elected  Director:  1996;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     Mr.  Bethune  has served as a Director since January 1996.  Mr. Bethune has
been  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer of Atrix Laboratories, Inc. since
1999.  From  1997  to 1998, Mr. Bethune held the position of President and Chief
Operating Officer of the IVAX Corporation.  From 1996 to 1997, Mr. Bethune was a
consultant  to  the pharmaceutical industry.  From 1995 to 1996, Mr. Bethune was
President  and  Chief Executive Officer of Aesgen, Inc. a generic pharmaceutical
company.  From  1992  to  1995, Mr. Bethune was Group Vice President of American
Cyanamid  Company  and a member of its Executive Committee until the sale of the
company  to American Home Products.  He had global executive authority for human
biologicals,  consumer  health products, pharmaceuticals and opthalmics, as well
as  medical  research.  Mr. Bethune is on the Board of Directors of the Southern
Research  Institute,  Atrix  Laboratories,  Inc. and the American Foundation for
Pharmaceutical  Education, Partnership for Prevention.  He is a founding trustee
of  the  American  Cancer  Society  Foundation  and  an  associate member of the
National  Wholesale Druggists' Association and the National Association of Chain
Drug  Stores.  He  is  the  founding  chairman  of  the Corporate Council of the
Children's  Health  Fund in New York City and served on the Arthritis Foundation
Corporate  Advisory  Council.

STEPHEN  M.  DEARHOLT
Age:  56;  Elected  Director:  1996;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     Mr.  Dearholt has served as a Director since April 1996.  Mr. Dearholt is a
co-founder  of  and has been a partner in Insurance Processing Center, Inc., one
of  the  largest  privately  owned life insurance marketing organizations in the
United  States,  since  1972.  He  has  over  23  years  of experience in direct
response advertising and data based marketing of niche products.  Since 1985, he
has  been a 50% owner of R.T. of Milwaukee, a private investment holding company
which  operates  a  stock  brokerage  business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In late
1995,  Mr.  Dearholt  arranged,  on  very short notice, a $1 million bridge loan
which  assisted  the  Company  in its purchase of Chartex.  Mr. Dearholt is also
very active in the non-profit sector.  He is currently on the Board of Directors
of  Children's Hospital Foundation of Wisconsin, an honorary board member of the
Zoological  Society  of  Milwaukee,  and  the  national  Advisory Council of the
Hazelden  Foundation.  He  is  a  past  board  member  of  Planned  Parenthood
Association  of  Wisconsin,  and past Chairman of the Board of the New Day Club,
Inc.

WILLIAM  R.  GARGIULO,  JR.
Age:  74;  Elected  Director:  1987;  Present  Terms  Ends:  2003 Annual Meeting

     William  R.  Gargiulo, Jr. has served as Secretary of the Company from 1996
to  present,  as  Vice  President  from 1996 to September 30, 1998, as Assistant
Secretary  of  the Company from 1989 to 1996, as Vice President-International of
The  Female  Health  Company  Division  from 1994 until 1996, as Chief Operating
Officer  of the Company from 1989 to 1994, and as General Manager of the Company
from  1988  to  1994.  Mr. Gargiulo has also served as a Director of the Company
since  1987.  Mr.  Gargiulo  is  a  Trustee of a trust which is a shareholder of
Phoenix  of Illinois.  From 1984 until 1986, Mr. Gargiulo was the Executive Vice
President  of the Pharmaceutical Group of Searle, in charge of Searle's European
operations.  From  1976  until  1984,  Mr.  Gargiulo  was  the Vice President of
Searle's  Latin  American  operations.


                                        5

JAMES  R.  KERBER
Age:  70;  Elected  Director:  1999;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     Mr.  Kerber has served as a Director since April 1999.  Mr. Kerber has been
a business consultant to the insurance industry since January 1996.  He has over
40  years  of  experience  in operating insurance companies, predominantly those
associated with life and health.  From 1994 to 1996, he was Chairman, President,
Chief  Executive  Officer  and  director  of  the  22  life and health insurance
companies  which comprise the ICH Group.  In 1990, Mr. Kerber a founding partner
in  the  Life  Partners Group where he was Senior Executive Vice President and a
director.  Prior to that, he was involved with operating and consulting over 200
life  and  health  companies  for  ICH  Corporation, HCA Corporation and US Life
Corporation.

MICHAEL  R.  WALTON
Age:  64;  Elected  Director:  1999;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual Meeting

     Mr.  Walton  has  served  as  a  Director  since April 1999.  Mr. Walton is
President  and  owner  of  Sheboygan County Broadcasting Co., Inc., a company he
founded  in  1972.  The  company has focused on start-up situations, and growing
value  in  underperforming,  and  undervalued  radio  station  and  newspaper
situations.  It  has  purchased  and sold properties in Wisconsin, Illinois, and
Michigan,  and  has  grown  to a multi-million dollar asset base from a start-up
capital contribution of less than $100,000.  Prior to 1972, Mr. Walton was owner
and President of Walton Co., an advertising representative firm which he founded
in  New  York  City.  He  has  held  sales  and management positions with Forbes
Magazine,  The  Chicago  Sun  Times  and Gorman Publishing Co., a trade magazine
publisher  specializing  in new magazines which was subsequently sold to a large
international  publishing  concern.  Mr.  Walton has served on the Boards of the
American  Red  Cross,  The  Salvation  Army  and  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.

RICHARD  E.  WENNINGER
Age:  55;  Director:  2001;  Present  Term  Ends:  2003  Annual  Meeting

     Mr.  Wenninger  has  served  as  a Director since July 2001.  Mr. Wenninger
currently  serves  as  Chairman  of  Wenninger  Company,  Inc.,  a  mechanical
contracting and engineering company.  From 1976 to 2001, Mr. Wenninger served as
President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer of Wenninger Company, Inc.  He is also
Secretary  of Wenn Soft, Inc., a software development, sales and service company
he  founded  in  1997.  From  1992 to 1999, Mr. Wenninger served as Secretary of
Liftco,  Inc.  Mr.  Wenninger is a current board member of the Boys & Girls Club
of  Milwaukee,  a  former  President  and board member of the Milwaukee Athletic
Club, a former board member of the Wisconsin Psychoanalytic Foundation, a former
board member of University Lake School, the former President and a current board
member  of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Milwaukee, the
former  President  and  a  former  board  member  of the Sheet Metal Contractors
Association of Milwaukee and a former board member of the Mechanical Contractors
Association  of  America.

     The  Board of Directors recommends that shareholders vote FOR all nominees.


                                        6

                         INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
                                    (ITEM 3)

     The  Board  of Directors has appointed McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, independent
public  accountants,  to  audit  the financial statements of the Company for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2003.  The Board proposes that the shareholders
ratify  this  appointment.  McGladrey  &  Pullen,  LLP  audited  the  Company's
financial  statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2002.  The Company
expects  that  representatives of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP will be present at the
Annual  Meeting, with the opportunity to make a statement if they so desire, and
will  be  available  to  respond  to  appropriate  questions.

     In  the  event  that ratification of the appointment of McGladrey & Pullen,
LLP as the independent public accountants for the Company is not obtained at the
Annual  Meeting,  the  Board  of  Directors  will  reconsider  its  appointment.

     A  majority of the shares represented, in person or by proxy, at the Annual
Meeting  is  required  to  ratify  the  appointment  of  the  independent public
accountants.

     The  Board  of  Directors  recommends  that  shareholders  vote  FOR  the
ratification  of  McGladrey  & Pullen, LLP as the independent public accountants
for  the  Company.

FEES  OF  INDEPENDENT  AUDITORS

     Audit Fees.  McGladrey & Pullen, LLP billed the Company $97,360 in fees for
professional  services  rendered  for  the  audit  of  the  Company's  financial
statements  for  the fiscal year ended September 30, 2002, and for the review of
the  interim  financial  statements  in  the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form
10-QSB  during  the  fiscal  year  ended  September  30,  2002.

     Financial  Information Systems Design and Implementation Fees.  McGladrey &
Pullen,  LLP  did  not  render  any  professional  services  to  the Company for
information  technology  advice during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2002.

     All Other Fees.  McGladrey & Pullen, LLP billed the Company $79,700 in fees
for  all  other  professional services rendered to the Company during the fiscal
year  ended  September  30,  2002.  These  services  primarily  consisted of tax
services, research regarding the accounting of stock options and fees related to
the  Company's  Form  SB-2  Registration Statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  in  October  2002.

     The  Audit  Committee  of  the Board of Directors of the Company considered
that  the  provision of the services and the payment of the fees described above
are  compatible  with  maintaining  the independence of McGladrey & Pullen, LLP.


                                        7

DIRECTORS

     The  Board of Directors currently consists of eight members:  O.B. Parrish,
William  R. Gargiulo, Jr., Mary Ann Leeper, Ph.D., Stephen M. Dearholt, David R.
Bethune,  Michael  R. Walton, James R. Kerber and Richard E. Wenninger.  At each
annual  meeting of shareholders, directors are elected for a term of one year to
succeed  those  directors  whose  terms  are  expiring.

COMMITTEE  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  AND  MEETING  ATTENDANCE

     The  Company  has  an  Audit  Committee.  The  Board's  Audit  Committee is
comprised  of Mr. Bethune, Mr. Dearholt and Mr. Kerber.  The responsibilities of
the Audit Committee, in addition to such other duties as may be specified by the
Board  of  Directors, include the following:  (a) recommendation to the Board of
Directors  of  independent  auditors  for the Company; (b) review of the timing,
scope  and results of the independent auditors' audit examination; (c) review of
periodic  comments  and  recommendations  by  the  auditors and of the Company's
response  thereto;  (d)  review  of  the  Company's  balance sheet, statement of
operations  and cash flows; and (e) review of the scope and adequacy of internal
accounting  controls.  The  Audit  Committee met one time during the fiscal year
ended  September  30,  2002.

     The Board of Directors held eight meetings during the Company's fiscal year
ended September 30, 2002.  All of the incumbent directors other than Mr. Bethune
attended  at  least  75% of the aggregate of (a) the total number of meetings of
the  Board  of  Directors  and  (b)  the  total  number  of meetings held by all
committees  of  the  Board  on  which  he  or  she  served,  if  any.

REPORT  OF  THE  AUDIT  COMMITTEE

     The Audit Committee is comprised of three members of the Company's Board of
Directors.  Because  the Common Stock is traded on the Over the Counter Bulletin
Board,  the Company is not subject to the listing requirements of any securities
exchange  or  Nasdaq  regarding the membership of the Company's Audit Committee.
However,  each  member  of the Audit Committee is independent as defined in Rule
4200(a)(14)  for  the  listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market.  The duties
and responsibilities of the Audit Committee are set forth in the Audit Committee
Charter,  which has been adopted by the Board of Directors.  A copy of the Audit
Committee  Charter  is  attached  as  Annex  A  to  this  Proxy  Statement.


                                        8

     The  Audit  Committee  has:

-    reviewed  and  discussed the Company's audited financial statements for the
     fiscal  year  ended  September  30, 2002, with the Company's management and
     with  the  Company's  independent  auditors;

-    discussed  with  the Company's independent auditors the matters required to
     be discussed by SAS 61 (Codification for Statements on Auditing Standards);
     and

-    received  and discussed with the Company's independent auditors the written
     disclosures and the letter from the Company's independent auditors required
     by  Independence  Standards Board Statement No. 1 (Independence discussions
     with  Audit  Committees).

     Based  on  such  review and discussions with management and the independent
auditors,  the  Audit  Committee  recommended to the Board of Directors that the
audited  financial statements be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-KSB  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  September  30,  2002, for filing with the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.

                                AUDIT  COMMITTEE:

                               David  R.  Bethune
                              Stephen  M.  Dearholt
                               James  R.  Kerber

DIRECTOR  COMPENSATION  AND  BENEFITS

     Directors  who  are officers of the Company do not receive compensation for
serving  in  such  capacity.  Individual  directors  who are not officers of the
Company receive $1,000 for attendance in person at each board meeting or meeting
of  a  committee of which he or she is a member.  In addition, each director who
is  not  an  employee  of  the Company receives an automatic grant of options to
purchase  30,000  shares Common Stock under the Company's Outside Director Stock
Option  Plan.  This grant is made upon the director's initial appointment to the
Board  of Directors and the options vest in accordance with the vesting criteria
set  forth  in  the  plan.


                                        9

EXECUTIVE  OFFICERS

     The  names of, and certain information regarding, executive officers of the
Company  who  are  not  directors  of  the  Company,  are  set  forth  below.




NAME                  AGE  POSITION
----                  ---  --------
                     
Jack Weissman . . .   55  Vice President-Sales
Michael Pope. . . .   46  Vice President and General Manager of The
                          Female Health Company (UK) Plc.
Mitchell Warren . .   36  Vice President-International Affairs
Robert R. Zic . . .   39  Principal Accounting Officer




JACK  WEISSMAN
Age:  55;  Vice  President-Sales

     Mr. Weissman has served as Vice President-Sales since June 1995.  From 1992
to  1994,  Mr.  Weissman  was  Vice  President-Sales for Capitol Spouts, Inc., a
manufacturer  of  pouring spouts for gable paper cartons.  From 1989 to 1992, he
acted  as  General  Manager-HTV  Group,  an  investment  group  involved  in the
development  of  retail  stores.  Mr. Weissman joined Searle's Consumer Products
Group  in  1979  and  held  positions  of  increasing  responsibility, including
National  Account  and  Military  Sales  Manager.  From  1985  to  1989,  he was
Director-Retail  Business  Development  for  The  NutraSweet  Company,  a Searle
subsidiary.  Prior to Searle, Mr. Weissman worked in the consumer products field
as  account  manager  and  territory  manager  for Norcliff Thayer and Whitehall
Laboratories.


                                       10

MICHAEL  POPE
Age:  46;  Vice  President,  General  Manager-The Female Health Company (UK) Plc

     Mr.  Pope  has  served  as  Vice President of the Company since 1996 and as
General  Manager  of  The  Female  Health  Company  (UK)  Plc. (formerly Chartex
International,  Plc.) since the Company's 1996 acquisition of Chartex.  Mr. Pope
has  also  served  as  a  Director  of The Female Health Company, Ltd. (formerly
Chartex  Resources  Limited) and The Female Health Company (UK) Plc. since 1995.
From  1990 until 1996, Mr. Pope was Director of Technical Operations for Chartex
with  responsibility  for  manufacturing,  engineering,  process development and
quality  assurance.  Mr.  Pope  was  responsible for the development of the high
speed  proprietary  manufacturing  technology for the female condom and securing
the  necessary  approvals  of  the  manufacturing  process  by  regulatory
organizations,  including the FDA.  Mr. Pope was also instrumental in developing
and  securing Chartex's relationship with its Japanese marketing partner.  Prior
to  joining  Chartex,  from  1986  to  1990, Mr. Pope was Production Manager and
Technical  Manager  for  Franklin  Medical, a manufacturer of disposable medical
devices.  From  1982  to  1986,  Mr.  Pope  was  Site  Manager,  Engineering and
Production  Manager,  Development Manager and Silicon Manager for Warne Surgical
Products.

MITCHELL  WARREN
Age:  36;  Vice  President-International  Affairs

     Mr.  Warren  has  served  as  Vice  President-International  Affairs of the
Company  since  February  2000  and  as Director of International Affairs of the
Company  from  January 1999 to February 2000.  From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Warren was
employed  by  Population  Services  International (PSI), an international social
marketing  and  communications  organization,  first  as  Executive  Director of
PSI/South  Africa  and  then  of  PSI/Europe.  From 1989 to 1993, Mr. Warren was
Program  Director  of  Medical  Education  for  South  Africa  Blacks.

ROBERT  R.  ZIC
Age:  39;  Principal  Accounting  Officer

     Mr.  Zic  has  served as the Principal Accounting Officer since March 1999.
From  1998  to  1999,  Mr.  Zic held the dual positions of Acting Controller and
Acting  Chief  Financial  Officer  at  Ladbroke's  Pacific  Racing  Association
division.  From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Zic served as the Chief Accounting Manager and
Assistant  Controller  at  Argonaut Insurance Company.  In this capacity, he was
responsible for the financial and accounting operations of Argonaut and its four
subsidiaries.  From  1990  to  1994,  he was the Assistant Controller of CalFarm
Insurance Company, where he was responsible for the company's external reporting
duties.  From  1988 to 1990, Mr. Zic was a Senior Accountant responsible for the
statutory-based  financials  of  Allstate  Insurance Company.  Mr. Zic began his
career  in  1986  as  an  auditor  with  Arthur  Andersen  &  Co.


                                       11

                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     The  table  below  gives  information  for each of the Company's last three
fiscal  years regarding all annual, long-term and other compensation paid by the
Company  to  its  chief  executive  officer and the only executive officer whose
total annual salary and bonus exceeded $100,000 for services rendered during the
fiscal  year ended September 30, 2002.  The individuals listed in this table are
referred  to  elsewhere  in  this  report  as  the  "named  executive officers."

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE





                                                                                    LONG-TERM
                                                   ANNUAL COMPENSATION         COMPENSATION AWARDS
                                                   -------------------         -------------------
                                                                              
                                                                          RESTRICTED         SECURITIES
                                        FISCAL                              STOCK            UNDERLYING
NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION              YEAR          SALARY ($)         AWARDS ($)      OPTIONS/SARS (#)
---------------------------             ------         ----------         ----------      ----------------
O.B. Parrish Chairman . . .              2002             90,000        277,800 (1)(2)          __
and Chief Executive . . . .              2001             90,000             __                 __
Officer . . . . . . . . . .              2000             90,000             __                 __
Mary Ann Leeper, Ph.D.. . .              2002            225,000        432,875 (1)(2)          __
President and Chief . . . .              2001            225,000             __                 __
Operating Officer . . . . .              2000            225,000             __                 __
_______________


(1)  On  September  26, 2002, Mr. Parrish and Dr. Leeper were issued 116,000 and
     197,500  shares,  respectively,  of restricted Common Stock in exchange for
     the  cancellation of their stock options. All of the restricted stock vests
     on  September  26, 2003. The closing price of the Company's Common Stock on
     September 26, 2002 was $2.05 per share. As of September 30, 2002, the value
     of  Mr. Parrish's restricted Common Stock was $229,680 and the value of Dr.
     Leeper's restricted Common Stock was $391,050 based on a value of $1.98 per
     share,  the  closing  price  of  the  Company's  Common Stock on that date.

(2)  On  February  12,  2003,  Mr. Parrish and Dr. Leeper were issued 40,000 and
     28,000  shares, respectively, of restricted Common Stock in connection with
     compensation  earned  in  fiscal  year  2002.



OPTION  GRANTS  DURING  THE  YEAR  ENDED  SEPTEMBER  30,  2002

     No  stock  options  were  granted  to  the  named executive officers of the
Company  during  the  fiscal  year  ended  September  30,  2002.


                                       12

FISCAL  YEAR-END  OPTION/SAR  VALUES

     Effective  September  26, 2002, each of the named executive officers agreed
to  exchange all of their outstanding stock options for (i) the number of shares
of  restricted  Common Stock equal to 25% of the old options being exchanged and
(ii) the right to receive new options to purchase the number of shares of Common
Stock equal to 100% of the old options being exchanged on the first business day
that  is  at  least  six  months  and  one  day  after the effective date of the
exchange.  As  a  result,  the  named  executive  officers do not hold any stock
options  as  of  September  30,  2002.

EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENTS

     The  Company  entered  into  an  employment  agreement with Mary Ann Leeper
effective May 1, 1994.  The original term of Dr. Leeper's employment extended to
April 30, 1997 and after April 30, 1997 her employment term renews automatically
for  additional  three-year  terms  unless  notice of termination is given.  The
employment  agreement  has  automatically renewed for a term ending on April 30,
2003.  The Company may terminate the employment agreement at any time for cause.
If  Dr. Leeper is terminated without cause, the Company is obligated to continue
to  pay  Dr.  Leeper  her base salary and any bonus to which she would otherwise
have  been  entitled  for a period equal to the longer of two years from date of
termination  or  the  remainder  of  the  then applicable term of the employment
agreement.  In  addition,  the  Company  is  obligated  to continue Dr. Leeper's
participation  in any of its health, life insurance or disability plans in which
Dr.  Leeper  participated  prior to her termination of employment.  Dr. Leeper's
employment  agreement  provided for a base salary of $175,000 for the first year
of  her employment term, $195,000 for the second year of her employment term and
$225,000  for  the third year of her employment term, subject to the achievement
of  performance  goals established by Dr. Leeper and the Board of Directors.  If
the  employment  agreement  is  renewed  beyond  the initial three-year term, it
requires  her  base  salary  to  be increased annually by the Board of Directors
based  upon  her  performance  and any other factors that the Board of Directors
considers  appropriate.  For fiscal 2000, 2001 and 2002 Dr. Leeper's base salary
was  $225,000  per year.  The employment agreement also provides Dr. Leeper with
various fringe benefits including an annual cash bonus of up to 100% of her base
salary.  The  Board  of  Directors may award the cash bonus to Dr. Leeper in its
discretion.  To  date,  Dr.  Leeper  has  not  been  awarded  a  cash  bonus.

CHANGE  OF  CONTROL  AGREEMENTS

     In  fiscal 1999, the Company entered into Change of Control Agreements with
each of O.B. Parrish, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mary Ann Leeper,
its President and Chief Operating Officer, and Michael Pope, its Vice President.
In  fiscal  2000,  the  Company  entered into a Change of Control Agreement with
Mitchell  Warren,  the  Company's  Vice-President-International  Affairs.  These
agreements  essentially  act  as  springing  employment agreements which provide
that,  upon  a  change of control, as defined in the agreement, the Company will
continue  to  employ  the  executive  for  a  period  of three years in the same
capacities  and  with  the  same  compensation and benefits as the executive was
receiving  prior  to  the  change  of  control, in each case as specified in the
agreements.  If  the executive is terminated without cause or if he or she quits
for  good reason, in each case as defined in the agreements, after the change of
control, the executive is generally entitled to receive a severance payment from
the  Company  equal  to  the  amount of compensation remaining to be paid to the
executive  under  the  agreement  for  the  balance  of  the  three-year  term.

                                       13

                               SECURITY OWNERSHIP

     The  following  table sets forth information regarding beneficial ownership
of  the  Company's Common Stock as of December 20, 2003 with respect to (a) each
person  known  to  the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the Company's
Common  Stock, (b) each named executive officer and each director of the Company
and  (c)  all  directors  and  executive  officers  as  a  group.

     The  Company  has  determined  beneficial  ownership in accordance with the
rules of the SEC.  Unless otherwise indicated, the persons and entities included
in  the  table  have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares
beneficially  owned,  except  to the extent authority is shared by spouses under
applicable  law.  Shares  of  the  Company's  Common Stock subject to options or
warrants  that are either currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of
December  20,  2002,  and  shares  of  the Company's Common Stock subject to the
conversion  of  convertible  debentures outstanding as of December 20, 2002, are
treated  as  outstanding and beneficially owned by the holder for the purpose of
computing the percentage ownership of the holder.  However, these shares are not
treated  as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of
any  other  person.




                                                SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED
NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER (1)            NUMBER    PERCENT
----------------------------------------            ------    -------
                                                        
O.B. Parrish (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     978,501      5.2%
William R. Gargiulo, Jr. (2) . . . . . . . . . .     390,001      2.1%
Mary Ann Leeper, Ph.D. (2) . . . . . . . . . . .     598,401      3.2%
Stephen M. Dearholt (3). . . . . . . . . . . . .   4,435,305     20.8%
David R. Bethune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      32,500        *
James R. Kerber (4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     563,710      3.0%
Michael R. Walton (5). . . . . . . . . . . . . .     692,566      3.8%
Richard E. Wenninger (6) . . . . . . . . . . . .   3,418,192     17.1%
Gary Benson (7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1,429,166      7.3%
All directors, nominees and executive officers,
 as a group (12 persons) (2)(3)(4)(5)(6) . . . .  10,652,231     44.9%
_______________


     *     Less  than  1  percent.

(1)  Unless  otherwise  indicated,  the  address of each beneficial owner is 515
     North  State  Street,  Suite  2225,  Chicago,  IL 60610; the address of Mr.
     Dearholt is 759 North Milwaukee Street, Suite 316, Milwaukee, WI 53202; the
     address  of  Mr.  Kerber  is  8547 East Arapahoe Road, #J217, Englewood, CO
     80112;  the  address of Mr. Walton is 1626 North Prospect Avenue, No. 2310,
     Milwaukee,  WI  53202;  the address of Mr. Wenninger is 855 West Dean Road,
     Milwaukee,  WI  53217;  and  the  address of Mr. Benson is Regency Athletic
     Club,  1300  Nicollet  Mall,  Suite  600,  Minneapolis,  MN  55403.
10

                                       14

(2)  Includes  294,501 shares owned by and 60,000 shares under option to Phoenix
     of  Illinois.  Under the rules of the SEC, Messrs. Parrish and Gargiulo and
     Dr.  Leeper  may be deemed to share voting and dispositive power as to such
     shares  since  Mr. Gargiulo is a trustee of a trust which is a shareholder,
     and Mr. Parrish and Dr. Leeper are officers, directors and shareholders, of
     Phoenix  of Illinois. For Dr. Leeper, also includes 243,900 shares owned by
     her;  for  Mr.  Parrish,  also includes 187,500 shares owned by him, 36,500
     shares  under warrants to him and 400,000 shares under warrants held by the
     Geneva O. Parrish 1996 Living Trust of which Mr. Parrish is beneficiary and
     for  which  Mr. Parrish may be deemed to share voting and investment power;
     and  for  Mr.  Gargiulo,  also  includes  35,500  shares  owned  by  him.

(3)  Includes  704,405  shares  owned  directly  by  Mr. Dearholt. Also includes
     69,500  shares held by the Dearholt, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan, 9,680 shares
     held  by  Response  Marketing  Money Purchase Plan, 17,200 shares held in a
     self-directed  IRA,  275,820  shares  held by the Mary C. Dearholt Trust of
     which  Mr.  Dearholt,  a sibling and his mother are trustees, 18,100 shares
     held  by Mr. Dearholt's minor child, and 418,100 shares held by the John W.
     Dearholt  Trust  of  which Mr. Dearholt is a co-trustee with a sibling. Mr.
     Dearholt  shares  the power to vote and dispose of 693,920 shares of Common
     Stock  held  by  the Mary C. Dearholt Trust and the John W. Dearholt Trust.
     Mr.  Dearholt has sole power to vote and dispose of the remaining shares of
     Common  Stock,  except  that North Central Trust has the sole power to vote
     and  dispose  of  the  9,680  shares  of  Common Stock held by the Response
     Marketing Money Purchase Plan. Also includes warrants to purchase 2,922,500
     shares  of  Common  Stock  (of  which  warrants to purchase up to 1,100,000
     shares have been pledged to a bank to secure a guarantee by Mr. Dearholt on
     behalf  of  the  Company).

(4)  Includes  200,000 shares subject to exercise of warrants. The warrants have
     been pledged to a bank to secure a guarantee by Mr. Kerber on behalf of the
     Company.

(5)  Consists  of  492,058  shares of Common Stock owned directly by Mr. Walton,
     30,900  shares  subject  to  exercise  of  warrants held by Mr. Walton, and
     169,608  shares  of  Common  Stock  held  by a trust of which Mr. Walton is
     trustee.

(6)  Includes  (a)  500,000  shares  of  Common Stock subject to conversion of a
     convertible  debenture due March 30, 2004 (based upon $250,000 of principal
     under such convertible debenture, divided by the conversion rate of $0.50),
     (b)  5,000  shares  of  Common  Stock  held  by Mr. Wenninger's spouse (Mr.
     Wenninger disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by his spouse),
     and  (c)  1,100,000 shares of Common Stock subject to exercise of warrants,
     consisting  of  a  warrant  to  purchase  100,000  shares  and a warrant to
     purchase a maximum of 1,000,000 shares. The warrants described in (c) above
     have  been  pledged  to  a  bank  to secure a guarantee by Mr. Wenninger on
     behalf  of  the  Company.

(7)  Consists  of  329,166  shares  of  Common  Stock  and  warrants to purchase
     1,100,000  shares of Common Stock owned by Goben Enterprises, LP, a limited
     partnership  of  which  Mr.  Benson  is  a  general  partner.



                                       15

     The  above  beneficial  ownership  information  is  based  on  information
furnished  by  the  specified  person  and is determined in accordance with Rule
13d-3  under  the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as required for
purposes  of  this Proxy Statement.  This information should not be construed as
an  admission  of  beneficial  ownership  for  other  purposes.

             SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company's
officers  and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class
of  the Company's equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in
ownership with the SEC on Form 3, 4 and 5.  Officers, directors and greater than
10%  stockholders  are  required  by  SEC regulation to furnish the Company with
copies  of  all  Forms  3,  4  and  5  they  file.

     Based  solely  on  review  of  the  copies  of  such forms furnished to the
Company,  or  written representations that no Forms 5 were required, the Company
believes  that  during  fiscal  2002  all  section  16(a)  filing  requirements
applicable  to  its  officers,  directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners
were  complied  with,  except  that:  Mr. Parrish filed a Form 4 on December 26,
2002  to  report  four  transactions occurring on September 26, 2002; Dr. Leeper
filed  a  Form  4 on December 26, 2002 to report three transactions occurring on
September  26,  2002; Mr. Gargiulo filed a Form 4 on December 26, 2002 to report
two  transactions occurring on September 26, 2002; Mr. Bethune filed a Form 4 on
December  26, 2002 to report three transactions occurring on September 26, 2002;
Mr.  Dearholt  filed  a  Form  4  on December 17, 2002 to report one transaction
occurring  on  September 20, 2002, three transactions occurring on September 26,
2002 and one transaction occurring on November 22, 2002; Mr. Kerber filed a Form
4  on  December  26,  2002 to report two transactions occurring on September 26,
2002;  Mr.  Walton  filed  a Form 4 on December 26, 2002 to report a transaction
occurring  on  September  19,  2002, two transactions occurring on September 20,
2002  and one transaction occurring on September 26, 2002; Mr. Wenninger filed a
Form  4  on  January  2,  2002 to report a transaction occurring on November 29,
2001,  a  Form  4  on  December  26,  2002  to report a transaction occurring on
September  20,  2002  and  a Form 4 on February 14, 2003 to report a transaction
occurring  on January 12, 2003; Mr. Weissman filed a Form 4 on December 26, 2002
to  report three transactions occurring on September 26, 2002 and filed a Form 4
on January 6, 2003 to report one transaction occurring on November 20, 2002, one
transaction  occurring  on  November  22,  2002 and one transaction occurring on
November  27, 2002; Mr. Pope filed a Form 4 on December 26, 2002 to report three
transactions  occurring  on September 26, 2002; and Mr. Warren filed a Form 4 on
January  6, 2003 to report a transaction occurring on November 19, 2002, filed a
Form 4 on January 28, 2003 to report four transactions, two of which occurred on
January  10, 2003, one on January 13, 2003 and one on January 15, 2003, and also
filed  a  Form  4  report on February 5, 2003 to report six transactions, one on
January  2,  2003, one on January 29, 2003, three on January 30, 2003 and one on
January  31,  2003.


                                       16

                 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     On  February  18, 1999, the Company borrowed $50,000 from O.B. Parrish, its
Chairman  and  Chief Executive Officer.  The borrowing was completed through the
execution  of  a $50,000, one-year promissory note payable by the Company to Mr.
Parrish  and a Note Purchase and Warrant Agreement and Stock Issuance Agreement.
Mr.  Parrish  was  granted  warrants  to purchase 10,000 shares of the Company's
Common Stock at an exercise price of $1.35 per share.  The exercise price of the
warrants  equaled  80% of the average market price of the Company's Common Stock
for  the  five  trading days prior to the date of issuance.  The warrants expire
upon  the  earlier  of  their  exercise  or  nine  years after the date of their
issuance.  Effective February 18, 2000, the Company extended the due date of the
note  to  February  18, 2001, and in connection with this extension, the Company
issued to Mr. Parrish warrants to purchase 12,500 shares of the Company's Common
Stock  at an exercise price of $0.72 per share, which equaled 80% of the average
market  price  of  the Company's Common Stock for the five trading days prior to
the date of issuance.  Effective February 18, 2001, the Company extended the due
date  of  the  note to February 18, 2002, and in connection with this extension,
the  Company  issued  to  Mr.  Parrish warrants to purchase 14,000 shares of the
Company's  Common  Stock  at an exercise price of $0.40 per share, which equaled
75%  of  the  average  market  price  of the Company's Common Stock for the fair
trading  days  prior  to  the  date  of  issuance.  The warrants expire upon the
earlier  of  their  exercise or ten years after the date of their issuance.  The
Company  also  granted Mr. Parrish securities registration rights for any Common
Stock  he  receives  from the Company under these warrants or the Stock Issuance
Agreement.  The  Company  subsequently  repaid  this  note  in  full.

     On February 12, 1999, the Company borrowed $250,000 from Mr. Dearholt.  The
borrowing was completed through the execution of a $250,000, one-year promissory
note  payable  by the Company to Mr. Dearholt.  As part of this transaction, the
Company  entered into a Note Purchase and Warrant Agreement and a Stock Issuance
Agreement.  Mr.  Dearholt  received  a  warrant to purchase 50,000 shares of the
Company's  Common  Stock at an exercise price of $1.248 per share.  The exercise
price  of  the warrants equaled 80% of the average market price of the Company's
Common  Stock  for  the  five  trading  days prior to the date of issuance.  The
warrants  expire upon the earlier of their exercise or nine years after the date
of  their  issuance.  Effective  February 12, 2000, the Company extended the due
date  of  the  note to February 12, 2001, and in connection with this extension,
the  Company  issued  to  Mr. Dearholt warrants to purchase 62,500 shares of the
Company's  Common  Stock  at an exercise price of $0.77 per share, which equaled
80%  of  the  average  market  price  of the Company's Common Stock for the five
trading  days  prior  to the date of issuance.  Effective February 12, 2001, the
Company  extended  the  due  date  of  the  note  to  February 12, 2002, and, in
connection  with  this extension, the Company issued to Mr. Dearholt warrants to
purchase  70,000  shares  of  the Company's Common Stock at an exercise price of
$0.40  per share, which equaled 75% of the average market price of the Company's
Common  Stock  for  the  five  trading  days prior to the date of issuance.  The
warrants  expire  upon the earlier of their exercise or ten years after the date
of  their  issuance.  The  Company  also  granted  Mr.  Dearholt  securities
registration  rights  for  any  Common  Stock he receives from the Company under
these warrants or the Stock Issuance Agreement.  The Company subsequently repaid
this  note  in  full.


                                       17

     On  March 25, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, the Company extended a
$1  million,  one-year  promissory  note  payable  by  it  to Mr. Dearholt for a
previous  loan  Mr.  Dearholt  made  to  the Company. The promissory note is now
payable  in  full  on March 25, 2003 and bears interest at 12% annually, payable
monthly.  The  borrowing  transactions were effected in the form of a promissory
note  from  the  Company  to  Mr. Dearholt and related Note Purchase and Warrant
Agreements  and  a  Stock Issuance Agreement. Under the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Note
Purchase  and Warrant Agreements, the Company issued to Mr. Dearholt warrants to
purchase  200,000  shares  of  the Company's Common Stock in 1997 at an exercise
price of $1.848 per share, 200,000 shares of Common Stock in 1998 at an exercise
price  of  $2.25  per  share and 200,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock in
1999  at  an exercise price of $1.16 per share. In connection with the extension
of  the  note to March 25, 2001, the Company issued warrants to purchase 280,000
shares  of  the Company's Common Stock in 2000 at an exercise price of $0.71 per
share.  In  connection  with  the  extension  of the note to March 25, 2002, the
Company issued warrants to purchase 280,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock
in  2001  at  an  exercise  price  of  $0.40  per  share. In connection with the
extension of the note to March 25, 2003, the Company issued warrants to purchase
300,000  shares  of  the  Company's Common Stock in 2002 at an exercise price of
$1.18 per share. In each case, the exercise price of the warrants equaled 80% of
the  market  price  of  the  Company's Common Stock on the date of issuance. The
warrants  expire upon the earlier of their exercise or on March 25, 2005 for the
warrants  issued  in 1997, March 25, 2007 for the warrants issued in 1998, March
25, 2009 for the warrants issued in 1999, March 25, 2010 for the warrants issued
in  2000,  March 25, 2011 for the warrants issued in 2001 and March 25, 2014 for
the  warrants issued in 2002. Under the Stock Issuance Agreement, if the Company
fails  to  pay  the  $1  million under the note when due, the Company must issue
200,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock to Mr. Dearholt. This issuance will
not, however, alleviate the Company's liability under the note. The Company also
granted  Mr.  Dearholt  securities  registration  rights for any Common Stock he
receives  from the Company under these warrants or the Stock Issuance Agreement.

     The  Company entered into a loan agreement on May 18, 2001, providing for a
three-year  loan  commitment  from  a bank of up to $2,000,000.  The Company may
borrow  under  this  loan  agreement  from  time  to time subject to a number of
conditions,  including  obtaining  personal  guarantees  of  125%  of the amount
outstanding  under  the loan.  In May 2001, the Company borrowed a total of $1.5
million  under  this  loan agreement.  Five persons provided guarantees equal in
total  to  the $1.5 million outstanding under the loan.  The guarantors included
James  R.  Kerber,  a  member  of  the  Company's board of directors, Stephen M.
Dearholt,  a member of the Company's board of directors, Richard E. Wenninger, a
member  of the Company's board of directors, and a trust for the benefit of O.B.
Parrish,  the Company's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.  Each
guarantor  may  be  liable  to  the  lender  for  up  to 125% of the guarantor's
guarantee  amount  if  the  Company defaults under the loan.  The Company issued
warrants  to  the  guarantors  to purchase the number of shares of the Company's
Common  Stock  equal  to  the  guarantee amount of such guarantor divided by the
warrant  purchase  price as of the date of exercise.  The warrant purchase price
is  the price per share equal to 70% of the market price of the Company's Common
Stock  at  the time of exercise, but in no event will the warrant purchase price
be  less  than  $0.50  per share or more than $1.00 per share.  The Company also
issued  additional  warrants  to purchase 100,000 shares of the Company's Common
Stock at an exercise price of $0.50 per share to each of Stephen M. Dearholt and
Richard  E.  Wenninger  because each of them guaranteed $500,000 under the loan.
The Company granted all of the guarantors registration rights which require that
the  Company  register  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  underlying the warrants.

                                       18


     Effective  March  30,  2001,  the  Company  issued  a  $250,000 convertible
debenture  to  Richard E. Wenninger.  Mr. Wenninger subsequently became a member
of  the  Company's  Board  of Directors in July 2001.  The convertible debenture
bears  interest  at  12%  per year and has a three-year term.  Mr. Wenninger may
convert  the  convertible  debenture  into  Common  Stock at any time based on a
conversion  rate  of  $0.50  per  share.

     In  August  2001,  the  Company  issued 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock to
Richard  E.  Wenninger  for  a  total  purchase  price of $500,000.  The Company
granted  Mr.  Wenninger  registration  rights  which  require  that  the Company
register  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  it  issued  to  Mr.  Wenninger.

     During  fiscal 2001, the Company's Board of Directors elected to extend the
terms  of  warrants  held by Mr. Dearholt, consisting of warrants issued in 1995
and  1996 to purchase a total of 240,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock at
exercise  prices  between  $3.00  and  $3.10,  for  an  additional  five  years.

     During  fiscal 2002, the Company's Board of Directors elected to extend the
terms  of  warrants held by Mr. Walton, consisting of warrants issued in 1997 to
purchase  30,900  shares  of  the Company's Common Stock at an exercise price of
$2.50,  for  an  additional  four  years.

     During  September  2002,  the  Company  offered  the  holders  of  the  its
outstanding preferred stock the right to convert their shares of preferred stock
into  shares  of  Common  Stock based on a price of $1.80 per share, the closing
price  of  the Common Stock on September 4, 2002.  This resulted in a conversion
rate  of  approximately 1.39 shares of Common Stock per share of preferred stock
rather  than  the  1 to 1 conversion rate set forth in the Company's Articles of
Incorporation.  Effective  September  20,  2002,  a  total  of 594,000 shares of
Series 1 Preferred Stock were converted into a total of 824,911 shares of Common
Stock.  309,000  shares of preferred stock beneficially owned by Mr. Walton were
converted  into  429,166  shares  of Common Stock and 60,000 shares of preferred
stock  beneficially  owned by Mr. Wenninger were converted into 83,333 shares of
Common  Stock.

     It  has  been  and currently is the policy of the Company that transactions
between  the  Company  and  its  officers,  directors, principal shareholders or
affiliates  are  to  be  on terms no less favorable to the Company than could be
obtained  from  unaffiliated  parties.  The  Company  intends  that  any  future
transactions  between  the  Company  and  its  officers,  directors,  principal
shareholders  or  affiliates will be approved by a majority of the directors who
are  not  financially  interested  in  the  transaction.


                                       19

                             INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

     For  the  fiscal  year  ended  September  30, 2002, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP
served  as  the  Company's  independent  auditors.

                        PROPOSALS FOR 2004 ANNUAL MEETING

     Any  shareholder  who  desires  to  submit  a proposal for inclusion in the
Company's 2004 Proxy Statement should submit the proposal in writing to Mr. O.B.
Parrish,  Chief  Executive  Officer,  The Female Health Company, 515 North State
Street,  Suite  2225,  Chicago,  Illinois,  60610.  The  Company  must receive a
proposal  by  October  23,  2003  in  order  to consider it for inclusion in the
Company's  2004  Proxy  Statement.  Any  shareholder  who  intends  to present a
proposal  at  the  2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders without inclusion of such
proposal in the Company's proxy materials are required to provide notice of such
proposal  to  the  Company  no  later  than  January  15,  2004.

                                  ANNUAL REPORT

     The  Company  is  required  to file an Annual Report, called a Form 10-KSB,
with  the  SEC.  A  copy  of the Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended
September  30,  2002  will  be provided without charge on written request of any
shareholder  whose  proxy  is  being  solicited  by the Board of Directors.  The
written  request  should  be directed to: Corporate Secretary, The Female Health
Company,  515  North  State  Street,  Suite  2225,  Chicago,  Illinois  60610.

                            EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION

     The  cost  of this solicitation of proxies will be paid by the Company.  It
is  anticipated  that  the  proxies  will be solicited only by mail, except that
solicitation  personally  or  by  telephone  may  also  be made by the Company's
regular employees who will receive no additional compensation for their services
in  connection  with the solicitation.  Arrangements will be made with brokerage
houses  and  other  custodians,  nominees  and fiduciaries for the forwarding of
solicitation  material  and annual reports to beneficial owners of stock held by
such  persons.  The Company will reimburse such parties for their expenses in so
doing.

                                       By  Order  of  the  Board  of  Directors,



                                      William  R.  Gargiulo,  Jr.,
                                      Secretary


Chicago,  Illinois
February  19,  2003

                                       20

                                     ANNEX A


                         CHARTER FOR THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
                            OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                          OF THE FEMALE HEALTH COMPANY


PURPOSE:
-------

     The  Audit  Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors to monitor the
corporate financial reporting and the internal and external audits of The Female
Health Company (the "Company").  The Audit Committee is directly responsible for
the  appointment,  compensation  and  oversight  of  the  work  of the Company's
independent  auditors,  including  the  resolution  of  disagreements  between
management  and  the auditor regarding financial reporting.  The Audit Committee
shall  assist  the Board of Directors with oversight of (i) the integrity of the
Company's  financial  statements;  (ii)  the Company's compliance with legal and
regulatory  requirements;  (iii)  the  independent  auditor's qualifications and
independence  and  (iv) the performance of the Company's internal audit function
and  independent  auditors.

     In  addition,  the Audit Committee will undertake those specific duties and
responsibilities  listed  below  and such other duties as the Board of Directors
from  time  to  time  prescribe.

     The  function  of  the Audit Committee is oversight.  The management of the
Company  is  responsible  for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the
Company's  financial  statements.  Management  is  responsible  for  maintaining
appropriate  accounting  and  financial  reporting  principles  and policies and
internal  controls  and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting
standards  and  applicable  laws  and regulations.  The independent auditors are
responsible  for planning and carrying out a proper audit and reviews, including
reviews  of  the Company's quarterly financial statements prior to the filing of
each  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q, and other procedures.  In fulfilling their
responsibilities  under this charter, it is recognized that members of the Audit
Committee  are  not  full-time  employees of the Company and are not, and do not
represent  themselves to be, accountants or auditors by profession or experts in
the  fields  of  accounting  or  auditing.  As  such,  it  is  not  the  duty or
responsibility  of  the  Audit  Committee  or its members to conduct auditing or
accounting  reviews  or procedures, and each member of the Audit Committee shall
be  entitled  to  rely  on  (a) the integrity of those persons and organizations
within  and  outside  the  Company from whom it receives information and (b) the
accuracy  of the financial and other information provided to the Audit Committee
by  such  persons  or  organizations.


                                       21

     The  independent auditors for the Company are ultimately accountable to the
Audit  Committee and the Board of Directors.  The Audit Committee has the direct
authority and responsibility to select, evaluate and, where appropriate, replace
the independent auditors (or to nominate the independent auditors to be proposed
for shareholder approval in the proxy statement).  The Company shall provide the
Audit  Committee  with appropriate funding for payment of compensation, fees and
expenses  to  the independent auditors and to counsel or other advisors that the
Audit  Committee  may  deem  appropriate  to  engage.

MEMBERSHIP:
----------

     The  Audit  Committee  will consist of at least three members, each of whom
shall  not  be an officer of the Company or its subsidiaries, shall not have any
relationship  which,  in  the opinion of the Board of Directors, would interfere
with  the  exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities
of  a director.  One member of the Audit Committee shall be a "financial expert"
as  may  be  defined  by  the  rules  of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
----------------

     The  responsibilities  of  the  Audit  Committee  shall  include:

1.   Reviewing  on  a  continuing  basis the adequacy of the Company's system of
     internal  controls  and  the  Company's disclosure controls and procedures;

2.   Reviewing  on  a  continuing basis the activities, organizational structure
     and  qualifications  of  the  Company's  internal  audit  function;

3.   Reviewing  the  independent  auditors'  proposed  audit scope and approach;

4.   Reviewing  with  management  and  the  independent  auditors  the  audited
     financial  statements  and  audit  findings,  including  any  significant
     suggestions  for  improvements  provided  to  management by the independent
     auditors  and  any  serious  difficulties  or  disputes  with  management
     encountered  during  the  course  of  the  audit,  and  reviewing the other
     financial  disclosures  in  the  Company's  Form  10-K  report,  including
     Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
     Operations;

5.   Reviewing  with  management  and  the  independent  auditors  the Company's
     unaudited  quarterly  financial  statements prior to the filing of its Form
     10-Q,  including  the  results  of the independent auditors' reviews of the
     quarterly  financial statements, and reviewing the financial disclosures in
     the  Form 10-Q, including Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
     Condition  and  Results  of  Operations;


                                       22

6.   Approving  the  appointment  of  the  independent  auditors,  subject,  if
     applicable,  to  stockholder  ratification;

7.   Approving  fee  arrangements  with  the  independent  auditors;

8.   Reviewing  the  performance  and qualifications of the independent auditors
     and  reviewing  the  experience and qualifications of the senior members of
     the  independent  auditor team, compliance by the independent auditors with
     audit  partner  rotation requirements and the quality control procedures of
     the  independent  auditors;

9.   Approving  in advance the retention of the independent auditor firm for any
     non-audit  service that such firm is not prohibited from performing for the
     Company  and  approving  the  fees  for  any  such  service;

10.  Ensuring  that  the  independent  auditors  prepare  and deliver annually a
     Statement  as  to  Independence  (it  being understood that the independent
     auditors  are  responsible  for  the  accuracy  and  completeness  of  this
     Statement),  and discussing with the independent auditors any relationships
     or services disclosed in this Statement that may impact the objectivity and
     independence  of  the  Company's independent auditors and to recommend that
     the  Board  of  Directors  take  appropriate  action  in  response  to this
     Statement  to  satisfy  itself  of  the independent auditors' independence;

11.  Reviewing  reports  from  the  independent  auditors regarding (a) critical
     accounting  policies  used  by the Company in its financial statements, (b)
     all  alternative  treatments  of  financial  information  within  generally
     accepted accounting principles that the independent auditors have discussed
     with  management,  ramifications  of the use of such alternative treatments
     and  the  treatment  preferred  by  the independent auditors, and (c) other
     material  written  communications  between  the  independent  auditors  and
     management;

12.  Recommending  to  the Board of Directors guidelines for hiring of employees
     of  the independent auditor who have been engaged on the Company's account;

13.  Advising  the Board of Directors with respect to the Company's policies and
     procedures  regarding  compliance  with  applicable  laws  and regulations;

14.  Reviewing  with  management  and the independent auditors the effect of any
     significant  regulatory  and  accounting  initiatives;


                                       23

15.  Obtaining  from  the independent auditors assurance that Section 10A of the
     Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  has  not  been  implicated;

16.  Meeting  at least quarterly with management and the independent auditors in
     separate  executive  sessions;

17.  Reviewing, in conjunction with counsel, any legal matters that could have a
     significant  impact  on  the  Company's  financial  statements;

18.  Providing  oversight and review of the Company's asset management policies,
     including  an  annual  review  of  the  Company's  investment  policies and
     performance  for  cash  and  short-term investments, and the Company's risk
     assessment  and  risk  management  policies;

19.  If  necessary,  instituting  special  investigations  and,  if appropriate,
     hiring  special  counsel  or  experts  to  assist;

20.  Reviewing  related  party  transactions for potential conflicts of interest
     and  approving  related  party  transactions;

21.  Establishing  procedures  for  the  receipt,  retention  and  treatment  of
     complaints  received  by  the  Company  regarding  accounting,  internal
     accounting controls or auditing matters and for the confidential, anonymous
     submission  by  employees  of  the  Company or its subsidiaries of concerns
     regarding  questionable  accounting  or  auditing  matters;

22.  Performing  other  oversight  functions  as  requested by the full Board of
     Directors;

23.  Reviewing  and  updating  the  Audit  Committee's  charter  annually  and
     recommending  any  proposed changes to the Board of Directors for approval;

24.  Instructing  the  independent  accountants that the independent accountants
     are  ultimately  responsible  to  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the Audit
     Committee;  and

25.  Preparing  any report, including any report of the Audit Committee required
     by  the  rules  of the Securities and Exchange Commission to be included in
     the  proxy  statement  for  the  Company's  annual  meeting.

     In  addition  to  the  above  responsibilities,  the  Audit  Committee will
undertake  such other duties as the Board of Directors delegates to it, and will
report  regularly  to  the  Board  regarding  the  Committee's  examinations and
recommendations.


                                       24

MEETINGS:
--------

     The  Audit  Committee  will  meet at least four times each year.  The Audit
Committee  may  establish its own schedule which it will provide to the Board of
Directors  in  advance.

     The  Audit  Committee will meet separately with the Chief Executive Officer
and separately with the Chief Financial Officer of the Company at least annually
to  review  the financial affairs of the Company.  The Audit Committee will meet
with  the  independent  auditors  of  the  Company,  at  such  times as it deems
appropriate,  to  review  the  independent  auditor's examination and management
report.

REPORTS:
-------

     The  Audit  Committee  will  record its summaries of recommendations to the
Board in written form which will be incorporated as a part of the minutes of the
Board  of  Directors  at  which  those  recommendations  are  presented.

MINUTES:
-------

     The  Audit  Committee  will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which
minutes  will  be  filed  with  the  minutes  of  the  meetings  of the Board of
Directors.

                                       25