1950's Science and Technology | Oral Contraceptives

Hormone Manipulation.

The concept behind oral contraceptive pills is fairly simple. Every month, women have a cycle of hormones produced by their ovaries. This cycle leads to ovulation, or the production of an egg that can become fertilized to result in pregnancy. The two main hormones produced by the body in this cycle are estrogen and progesterone. If their levels do not rise and fall in accordance with the body's requirements during the monthly cycle, ovulation normally does not occur, and even if it does, unbalanced hormone levels could prevent the uterus from accepting the resultant pregnancy. The oral contraceptive pill was designed to manipulate levels of these two hormones to prevent unwanted pregnancy effectively.

The Team.

An interesting group of people was involved in the development of oral contraceptives. Margaret Sanger was a pioneer of women's rights and founded the organization Planned Parenthood....