Throughout time, people have used a wide assortment of concoctions and devices to fend off pregnancy. Ancient Egyptian women applied a mixture of crocodile dung, honey, and sodium carbonate to their vaginas, while the infamous Italian lover Casanova (1725–1798) used condoms made of linen and sheep intestines. Even as late as the 1960s, the disinfectant Lysol was popular among women as a spermicide. Fortunately, science has made major progress when it comes to birth control.

Today, there are a number of different forms of contraception, although no form is 100 percent foolproof. They fall into several groups: The first, called barrier methods, block sperm from entering the uterus. Condoms, cervical caps, sponges, and diaphragms all fall into this category. These contraceptives are affordable, attainable, and convenient, but they also have a higher failure rate: In 11 percent of couples using the male condom, for instance, the woman becomes pregnant.

The second common birth control form is hormonal; these medications release the female sex hormones estrogen and progestin in the woman’s body to prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg. The first birth control pill was developed by the medical researchers Gregory Pincus (1903–1967) and John Rock (1890–1984) in 1957. Ten years later, some 12.5 million women worldwide were taking the once-a-day pill.

Other methods of hormonal contraception include the birth control patch (applied weekly), the vaginal contraceptive ring (inserted monthly), and hormonal shots and implants (administered every month to 5 years). Hormonal forms are effective—the Pill, when used correctly, is 99 percent successful—but they do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, as condoms do. Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are another very effective contraceptive strategy; once inserted, they remain 95 to 97 percent effective for up to 10 years. Lastly, some people may opt for sterilization—a permanent surgical procedure. Women can have their fallopian tubes “tied,” while men can have a vasectomy, in which the vas deferens tubes are cut.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. Margaret Sanger (1883–1966), a birth control activist in the 1950s, was inspired to advocate for birth control by her mother, who died at age 50 after bearing 11 children.
  2. In 1873, the US government passed a law, written by the antiobscenity crusader Anthony Comstock (1844–1915), that made all forms of contraception illegal. The law was struck down in 1965.
  3. By federal law, sterilization procedures require a counseling session, followed by a 30-day wait and a second written consent.