It’s changed the lives of women around the world since its introduction. It’s helped people the world over engage in responsible family planning. It’s also often the center of controversy and debate. We can’t ignore the huge impact that the birth control pill has had since it was introduced 50 years ago.
Before the introduction of the pill, contraceptives existed, but the pill drastically improved the reliability of birth control, and it also put more control into the hands of women. If their partner wasn’t interested in using contraception or they were making a personal choice not to have any more children, they now held the responsibility for their own bodies, rather than leaving it up to chance or in someone else’s hands.
Planning when they would have children and how many gave women the opportunity to do many things they had been held back from. College educations and fulfilling careers were more possible than ever. Having the opportunity to determine the number and spacing of their children helped to promote positive outcomes and healthy families across the nation.
Today, there are a variety of birth control pills available for women to take. Though they may have different formulas, they all work in the same, basic way. The hormones in the birth control pill stop the woman’s body from releasing an egg each month. Without an egg to be fertilized, a woman cannot get pregnant. When used properly, the pill is very effective in preventing pregnancy.
There is still a lot of progress that needs to be made in the field of the contraceptive pill. Many women still cannot afford the cost of the pill, or do not have health insurance to pay for the pill. If you or someone you know is in need of the birth control pill, MFHS can help. Our family planning centers can help connect you with low cost birth control pills and many other reproductive services. Our trained medical staff can help educate you about the pill and help you find the right birth control for you.