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Early Contraceptive History
The Egyptians invent the condom around 3000 BC. The Greeks invent the first known contraceptive for women, the pessary, around 1850 BC. Crocodile dung is an active ingredient. Around 600 BC, the Greeks discover an herb, Silphion, in what is now Libya. As the first apparently effective birth control "pill," it is harvested to extinction. -
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History of Birth Control Movement in America, 1700-2012
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Casanova, Responsible Lover
Giacamo Casanova's memoirs reveal that he is among the first to experiment with condoms for preventing pregnancy, rather than disease. Americans will soon follow suit. -
"Fruits of Philosophy" Published
Dr. Charles Knowlton publishes a little book for newlyweds, which discusses ways to prevent pregnancy. He is prosecuted, fined, and imprisoned. Two Brits re-publish the book, and are brought to trial. The ensuing publicity makes it a bestseller. Knowlton is credited for reducing Britain's population and popularizing contraception, here and abroad. -
Goodyear Vulcanizes Rubber
This revolutionized condom manufacturing. -
First Rubber Condom Produced
George Bernard Shaw called the rubber condom the "greatest invention of the nineteenth century." -
Congress Passes Comstock Laws
John Comstock, dry-goods store owner and anti-obscenity crusader writes law passed by Congress, making all contraception illegal. Contraceptive industry still flourishes with items promoted as "feminine hygiene" products. -
J Schmid, Condom King
Impoverished, crippled immigrant Schmid starts successful condom business with discarded animal intestine "skins" from meatpackers. He sells them from his apartment. Busted by vice, he goes to jail. Undaunted, he returns and sells his wares as "French goods and medicines." His Ramses and Sheik brands are still popular. He became a millionaire. -
Margaret Sanger Begins Mission
Margaret Sanger's mother dies exhausted at age 50 after giving birth to 11 children. Sanger becomes a nurse and helps those suffering from ill-performed abortions. She dreams of birth control pill. -
Sanger Gets Partner, Investor
Wealthy Katherine McCormick (right), fearful of passing on her husband's schizophrenia to her children, partners with Sanger to begin birth control pill research. -
First Birth Control Clinic
Sanger opens first birth control clinic in Brooklyn. She is jailed for 30 days and clinic is shut down by police. A permanent clinic opens in 1923. -
Condoms Become Legal, WWI
WW I troops ignore government pleas for abstinence while overseas, bring condoms home from Europe, US gives up and legalizes them. -
US Birth Rate Down 50%
US birth rate drops in half. War, and a combination of contraceptive devices plus education, is responsible. -
Lysol, Popular Contraceptive
Lysol manufacturerers marketed the household cleaner for "feminine hygiene." It was the most popular contraceltive for women for over 30 years as a post-coital douche. It was ineffective for birth control. -
Planned Parenthood
From Sanger's American (1917) and National (1921) Birth Control Leagues comes the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. -
Progesterone from Plants
Russell Marker, researcher at Penn State, discovers a method of extracting progesterone from wild Mexican yams. The race towards the pill begins in earnest. -
Early "Pill" Begins Testing
Dr. Gregory Pincus and Dr. John Rock develop the first birth control pill using synthetoc progesterone (developed independently by 2 drug companies, Syntex and Searle) with funding from Katherine McClintock. Testing on women begins. -
Envoid Released
Envoid, the result of research by Pincus and Rock, is refined by chemist Frank Colton at Searle, approved by the FDA and released. While nearly 100% effective, side affects are serious. It is about 10 times stronger than it needs to be. -
Comstock Law Repealed
The Comstock Laws from 1873 are struck down by Congress. Contraceptives are no longer illegal. -
Roe vs. Wade
Abortion is now a woman's decision. -
11,000,000 Users
By the mid-80's, low dose birth control pills, IUDs, and many other forms of contraception are available. Nearly 11 million American women use the pill; millions more use other forms of birth control. -
The Morning After Pill
Emergency contraceptive pills are available; women can take them up to 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. -
Choices Increase
By the early 2000's, there are many more forms of hormonal contraception available to women: injections, insertable rings, external patches and implants that last for 5 years. -
Challenges Remain
Challenges to a woman's right to decide remain front-and-center in the American political arena. Many feel we as a nation are moving backward.
