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A toddler playing in the fountain at a park in Santa Fe, New Mexico—Photo LD Lewis. In August, we live through the Dog Days of Summer. It's hot and often humid, and those ...
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Gregory Pincus, bolstered by the advocacy of Margaret Sanger and funding from heiress Katherine McCormick, created the first birth control pill using synthesized hormones in 1952.
The idea of birth control is not new. In antiquity, women created cotton-based suppositories soaked in honey, dates, and acacia, which fermented inside and effectively killed sperm. However, it wasn't until the 1950s that the idea of a pill became a reality.
The first trials, 100% successful, occurred in 1954. However, as many states had anti-birth control laws, Puerto Rico became the location for testing the new contraceptive.
In 1957 the FDA approved the drug for severe menstrual disorders but not birth control, which would have to wait another three years.
On May 9, 1960, the pill was approved by the FDA for birth control.
By 1962 over 1.2 million women were using it.
The pill gave women control over their sexual health, desires, lives, and careers. It remains controversial with some faith-based groups and others who are against sex outside of marriage or oppose birth control under any circumstance.
Carl Djerassi concurrently explored a similar idea to Pincus' pill using hormones but did not have access to distribution or testing facilities.
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