My science blog: Contrseption Essay

Cassie Konick

Ms. Medenica

Science 8A

April 25, 2012

Birth control is considered among the “Top 10 Inventions in History” along with language, the internet and plumbing (TotTenz 2012 Top 10 Lists). The Economist magazine goes even further and says that the contraceptive pill may be the one invention that “defined the 20^th Century, particularly for women. (The Economist, The Liberator)

Contraception has existed for thousands of years, however, reliable birth control has only been around for 100 years. The first commonly used birth control device was the condom. Condoms were prescribed by doctors to protect men from STDs like gonorrhea and syphilis. By 1924 condoms were encourage by military leaders, who wanted to ensure that soldiers didn’t not contract STDs and bring them home to their wives and the government made training films with the slogan “Don’t forget, put it on before you put it in.” (PP, A History of Birth Control Methods, 5)

It is only during the last 50 years that there has been an improvement in the reliability and efficiency of contraceptives. This improvement is largely due to research and developments in science and technology in the field of contraception and the creation of birth control pills in 1956. What makes the pill so important is that it was an invention where science first understood a biological process so well that is could engineer it for the public. The pill was developed to copy the enzyme progesterone which was already known.

Improvements also came about because of women’s rights advocates like Margaret Sanger. In 1924 she wrote “It is almost impossible to imagine the suffering caused to women, the mental agony they endure, when their days and nights are haunted by the fear of undesired pregnancy.” (Langley, How Birth Control Changed Everything). The advances additionally were pushed by a scientist who supported women’s rights and a good friend of Margaret Sanger, an advocate for women’s birth control rights. One of the first women to graduate from MIT, Katharine McCormick, had both the money and interest in funding the development and clinical trials of synthetic progesterone. Her support resulted in the launch of the contraceptive pill in 1956. The invention on the oral contraceptive pill was followed by the intrauterine device (IUD) in 1961.

In the United States, these technological advances took place during a time of social unrest and when people were fighting for women’s rights, including the right for a woman to choose whether she wanted to be pregnant or not. Legal cases like Row v. Wade in 1973 created the issue about abortion rights which is still debated today (Bookrags.com/research/issues-and-developments in birth-co-scit). The consequences of a fairly safe and effective birth control method, give women the right to control if and when they would have a family. They could have a control over their lives and this huge step gave them equal footing to compete with men. As far as the pill, the technology helped to liberate women. (The Economist).

In 1959, only 3 years later the invention of the pill, researchers were working with Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) which would suppress ovulation and women wouldn’t have to remember to take a pill every day (PP, 9). The Food and Drug Administration did not approve DMPA until 25 years later.

Part of the reason for this delay, is that although the technology was available, social values and concerns about risks associated delayed new breakthroughs in contraceptives from reaching the marketplace and customers. In France, for example, women didn’t have reproductive rights until the 1970s and in many Communist countries birth control was illegal because dictators wanted to increase their populations. The Vatican to this day does not support birth control. In addition to social values and rights, costs for testing and the introductions of new contraceptive products is extremely high.

The contraceptive pill has continued to be improved and in 2010 celebrated its 50^th anniversary (Watson/Conger-How the Male BC Pill will work). Today the pill is the most popular contraceptive for women under 30 years of age and over 100 million women around the world start their days with it. This is great news for women in the western parts of the world you use birth control, but the news is not all good. According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost half of the pregnancies in the United States are unintended. In the developing world the number of unplanned pregnancies jumps to 82! What is even more shocking is that this figure only includes women in permanent or married relationships, and does not track teen pregnancy.

While science and technology has revolutionized contraceptives, particularly the pill, there is still more work to be done. Helping women in poor and developing countries access and correctly use contraceptives must continue. Part of this is education and part of this is money. Society still placed great pressure on women about access and contraceptives can have side effects. Developing better formulas for current biological combinations, will reduce negative effects and convince people who may be skeptical about using contraceptives, how safe and useful they are. Everyone in the world should have the right to choose when they are going to start a family.