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The Sixties in America The Pill An oral contraceptive containing the female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone. It reduces the risk of pregnancy to one in one thousand. In 1959, the American Public Health Association alerted all levels of government to the need to address the issue of population growth and its effect on health. The worldwide population explosion and growing scarcity of resources became the impetus for social, political, medical, and economic action. President Lyndon B. Johnson pledged to find new ways to deal with these problems. Introduction of the birth control pill in 1960 became a key component in working to solve these problems. The birth control pill, which contains the hormones progesterone and estrogen, prevents contraception by blocking ovulation, preventing implantation of a fertilized egg, and increasing mucous production, making the cervix more hostile to sperm. In May, 1960, the first oral contraceptive, the G. D. Searle Company's Enovid, was made available to the public. Initially, a strict criteria governed distribution of birth control pills: Prescriptions were given only to married women, eighteen years of age or older. Controversy erupted around the country regarding the morality of providing the pill to unmarried women. Some people felt that access to the birth control pill would encourage immoral sexual behavior and lend fuel to the already growing sexual revolution. Others argued that women had a right to control their own bodies. However, the moral controversy soon faded, partly because of government initiatives intended to reduce population growth, and women, regardless of marital status, gradually were able to obtain the pill. In part to address the developing concern about overpopulation, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Office of Economic Opportunity provided funds to community groups for health and welfare programs. Governmental agencies and health professionals created family planning programs that made it easier for low-income women to receive birth control pills. Impact The birth control pill--an effective, easy means of contraception that cannot be detected during the act of sexual intercourse--helped women gain more complete control of their bodies and reproductive functions. It gained ready acceptance among women, and the numbers of users swelled until some serious health risks regarding high-dosage pills were uncovered in the late 1960's. Use of the pill, a key player in the sexual revolution, contributed to social and cultural changes by providing sexual freedom for single women. Subsequent Events The high-dosage pills of the early 1960's have been replaced by safer, lower dosage versions. Years of research on side effects and long-term effects resulted in chemical improvements that increase the benefits and reduce the risks. The pill continues to be one of the most effective contraceptives on the market. Additional Information A more thorough discussion of the pill can be found in "Prescribing the Pill: Politics, Culture, and the Sexual Revolution in America's Heartland," by Beth Baily in the 1997 issue of the Journal of Social History. Carol J. Sample See AlsoAbortion; Birth Control; Feminist Movement; Sexual Revolution; Women's Identity. |
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