A Brief History of Birth Control

Over 60 percent of reproductive-aged women are currently using some form of contraception; this statistic has risen only about 10 percent since the 1980s, which leaves us to question whether or not birth control has become more readily accessible in the last 30 years. Many people think of birth control as a new concept from the 20th century. However, people have been attempting to prevent pregnancy and control their fertility since pretty much the beginning of time. Prior to the invention of modern methods of contraception, many people relied on withdrawal, which has often failed, or magical thinking. But the origin of birth control came much earlier than many would expect. Below is a conspired timeline of important events that have led up to the development of birth control methods that are readily available today, as well as examples of contraceptive methods that have been used throughout history, and some of birth control’s dark past. 

3000 BC

Ancient societies such as Egypt began developing condoms made from animal bladders or intestines. 

1619-1870 AD

Black women utilized African folk remedies to create medicines and aid resistance to forced reproduction by white men.

1855 AD

The first rubber condom was produced ten years after its invention by Charles Goodyear. At this time, rubber condoms were made by wrapping pieces of raw rubber around penis-shaped molds and then dipping them in a chemical solution. 

1907 AD

United States public policies passed that gave the government rights to sterilize certain populations. State officials utilized these laws to target Black women, Native American women, and low-income women and girls in an attempt to prevent their reproduction. 

1916 AD

Margaret Sanger opens the first-ever birth control clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Sanger is then jailed for 30 days on the charge of dispensing contraceptive devices. 

1921 AD

Margaret Sanger founded the American Birth Control League, which eventually set the path to Planned Parenthood. 

1927 AD

In Buck v. Bell, the Supreme Court ruled that forced sterilization does not violate the constitution. 

1939 AD

Almost 400 birth control clinics existed throughout the U.S. by this year. 

1960 AD

The first oral form of birth control, which became known as “The Pill”, was approved by the FDA.

1968 AD

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) receive approval from the FDA, originating with methods titled Lippes Loop and Copper 7. 

1970s AD

Thousands of Native American women were coercively sterilized, causing the Native birth rate to drop to less than two percent. 

1972 AD

Eisenstadt v. Baird legalized the use of birth control for unmarried people. 

1973 AD

Two young Black girls named Minnie Lee and Alice Relf were coerced into sterilization when they were both under the age of 15. This horrifying event inspired a national campaign to fight the forced sterilization of women of color.   

1979 AD

New regulations were released by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare mandating consent for sterilization practices. 

1980s AD

Low-dosage birth control pills and a new copper IUD receive approval from the FDA. 

1991-92 AD

First reversible form of contraception receives approval from the FDA, titled Norplant, and now commonly known as “The Implant”. 

1993 AD

FDA approves first-ever female condom. 

2013 AD

FDA approves over-the-counter sales of Plan B for people under the age of 18. 

2019 AD

Trump Administration imposes new regulation on Title X that results in a 50 percent decrease in contraceptive availability to low-income women. 

Today

More research is continuously developing on controlled methods to prevent the spread of STIs as well as on birth control methods for men.

We’ve come a long way since the first rubber condom was produced in 1855. Yet, contraception and birth control remain a continuous political debate. The fight to make birth control more widely accessible to everyone still continues, as does the fight to de-stigmatize different methods of birth control. Hopefully, we will soon reach a point where people everywhere can practice safe sex and prevent pregnancy regardless of their income, insurance policy, or immigration status. Access to birth control and contraceptives should be a human right.