The Pill

Throughout the history of medicine, thousands of drugs have been developed, but only one has been influential enough to earn the title of simply, “the pill.” Animal experiments in the late 1930s demonstrated that high-dose progesterone could arrest ovulation. This became the basis for chemist Dr. Carl Djerassi’s research; who synthesized progestin from an extract of Mexican wild yam root in the late 1940s. Through this, the concept of arresting ovulation in women became a reality. Introduced in May 1950, the oral contraceptive pill, which is often notated as OCP, is a medical innovation that has dramatically transformed generations through which women have gained freedom over their health and reproductive autonomy. Would you believe OCPs were first prescribed only to married women and exclusively for cycle control?
Although the pill was available by 1960 for menstrual regulation, it was not yet legal to discuss contraception or prescribe the pill for the indication of contraception until 1969. At this time, the Canadian parliament decriminalized it by passing amendments to Section 251 of the Criminal Code. Over time, OCPs separated sexual practice from conception, forcing re-assessment and re-evaluation of social, political, and religious viewpoints regarding contraception. OCPs have provided valuable data about the potential uses and side effects of estrogen-based therapies. By the 1990s, there became a steady demand for the pill, and new hormone delivery systems were developed and released – these included implants, intrauterine devices, injectables, and rings. In 1992, injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate, known more commonly as Depo-Provera, was approved for use as a contraceptive agent and by the 2000s, contraceptive patches and rings were introduced in Canada, while research on contraceptive sprays and gels began elsewhere worldwide.