More than four decades ago, in 1960, the oral contraceptive created for birth control was made available to women in the United States. Known as the birth control pill or simply the Pill, it was intended to act like the hormones that are naturally produced. The major hormones are estrogen and progestin. It replaces them with synthetic components that serving to fool the body and cause women to not ovulate. This extraordinary development allowed women, for the first time, to control their pregnancies, thus leading to a sexual revolution in America. Women experienced sexual freedom for the first time, which led to a major change in our culture. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll became the anthem for the 1960s.

Margaret Sanger, at the age of 80, was a long-time advocate for birth control. She is attributed with conducting research in 1950, which ultimately led to the creation of the first birth control pill. However, Dr. Carl Djerassi developed the birth control pill, on October 15, 1951, while a professor at Wayne State University, and is the first to patent his invention. Thus, the birth control pill became available to women by prescription only.

Since its inception, the birth control pill has been controversial. The first prescriptions were later determined to be ten times the necessary potency. Serious risks of side effects such as blood clots, heart attacks and strokes were eventually lessened with the introduction of lower potency pills. However, cigarette smokers are still at risk today, as are women over the age of 40. Women continue to use the birth control pill today; however, the most recent introduction of the birth control patch is expected to be used more frequently than the pill.