History of ups and downs of birth control pills

In some respects, oral contraceptives are one of humankind's greatest inventions, as it contributes to a complete change in human birth control.

The ups and downs seek contraception

In human history, people have been searching and testing different ways to avoid unwanted pregnancies from using lemon juice or rat droppings; the use of snail, oil and alcohol droppings to prevent pregnancy or condoms from sheep intestines . But these ancient methods are not highly effective. Even when condoms were born, birth rates decreased but contraception was dependent on men. Until modern birth control pills came into being. On May 9, 1960, the US Agency for Drug and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed to introduce the first time on the market of oral contraceptives for women called evenoid . This medicine was discovered in 1955 by BS. Gregory Pinus, the American researcher.

In the early 20th century, condoms were the first choice when couples applied contraception. The quality of condoms in this period is not good, it is not comfortable. Therefore, when oral contraceptives are born, women who have reliable methods help them to freely satisfy their sexual life and still control pregnancy.

The rate of women using oral contraceptives is increasing.

The birth of modern birth control pills

In 1951, BS. Pinus met TS. Min Chuch Chang - a researcher at the Worcester Foundation - who is studying progesterone's ovulation prevention effect when given this medicine to animals. Also in 1951, BS. Pincus opened his lab and with the support of John Rock - a gynecologist. As suggested by Pinus, Rock has come up with a test that shows that taking progesterone also works to prevent ovulation of women. However, only taking progesterone, conception rate is still high. Pincus did not give up the idea of ​​hoping to find another compound similar to progesterone but to improve its effectiveness.

In September 1953, Pincus asked chemical companies to send him samples of some of the synthetic steroids they produced related to progesterone, and among them, the chemical norethynodrel was particularly effective. Doctor Pincus and his team showed that norethynodre would be highly effective if used in combination with a small amount of mestronol. This contraceptive product was eventually launched by GD Searle and Company with the name enovid.

In 1957, the birth control pill was available in the US market with the initial indication of endocrine abnormalities for female patients. In 1960, when approved by the FDA on the market, it was initially sold to married women only because the contraceptive's mechanism was to change the amount of hormones in the body and thus have a certain effect. to substance changes, cardiovascular function and liver. It was not until the 1970s that this issue was resolved and the restriction on contraceptive users was restricted.

The fact proves the necessity and importance of birth control pills as the proportion of women using contraceptives increases and the fertility rate of American women also decreases over time. If in 1960, every American woman had an average of 3.6 children, then in 1980 it was 20 years later, the average number of children of American women was less than 2. Birth control means that women take the initiative to take care of their children and work. In 1965, in the US, there were 26.2 million women working at work, in 2008 this number was 71.8 million. It is this and the underlying cause is the emergence of oral contraceptives that have contributed to the premise that the struggle for gender equality becomes more favorable. By 1919, the United Nations International Economic and Social Administration said 54 million women were taking oral contraceptives worldwide, in 1987 80 million and today, hundreds of millions of women cannot lack of birth control pills.