| Birth control pill is the most popular method | | | | concern. She was involved in many |
| of contraceptive world wide. Today many birth | | | | philanthropic works and was also a women's |
| control pills like Yasmin, Lybrel, Alesse and | | | | right activist. McCormick believed that as |
| many others manufactured by different | | | | much as the right to vote for women is |
| pharmaceutical companies are available in the | | | | important so is the right to control her |
| market. The reason for their popularity is | | | | body. She helped Margaret Sanger, a birth |
| 'convenience', unlike sterilization, birth | | | | control activist by supporting her cause in |
| control pills are not permanent; it is for | | | | many ways. |
| temporary use i.e. they can be taken till the | | | | |
| time a women is not ready to start a family | | | | When her husband died in 1947, she became the |
| and can also be used for proper family | | | | sole inheritor of his property and a wealthy |
| planning. | | | | widow; she was 75 years of age then. Along |
| | | | with Sanger she envisioned a birth control |
| Though, birth control pills are popular but | | | | method which could be taken in the pill form. |
| there are many people who are still naïve | | | | Accordingly they met a scientist called |
| about their origin. The hard work and efforts | | | | Gregory Pincus who was equally interested in |
| put by the scientists who invented it and the | | | | developing a birth control pill. Gregory was |
| endless support given by the great women who | | | | researching on progesterone and believed that |
| made this invention of the first | | | | it could be used as an anti-ovulent and could |
| contraceptive pill possible is little known | | | | be developed as a contraceptive. He had |
| by people, not even by those who use these | | | | already tested and proved progesterone to |
| pills. Therefore, I found it worth writing | | | | work on animals but could not move further |
| about the origin or history of birth control | | | | with the research due to lack of funds. |
| pills which extremely contributes to the | | | | McCormick asked him to immediately restart |
| elevation of a woman's status. | | | | the research and handed him a check of |
| | | | $40,000 which was quite a fortune that time. |
| Since ancient times birth control was an | | | | |
| issue. We can even see the word "abstinence" | | | | Wanting the pill to be developed in her life |
| being mentioned many times in the bible. | | | | time, McCormick moved from her Santa Barbara |
| Aristotle, Pliny and even Casanova talk about | | | | home to the east where the research lab was |
| abstinences and spermicides. Human | | | | located. She time and again asked the |
| reproduction was understood only in the | | | | scientist to hurry up the project. Dr. John |
| 1800's when the scientists of that time | | | | Rock joined Pincus and together they did |
| discovered the female egg and its importance | | | | their first trial on human beings. The |
| in reproduction. Earlier it was considered | | | | progesterone pills were tested on 50 women |
| that men were the life creator while women | | | | who administered them for 21 days with seven |
| were just the nest. From then on the approach | | | | days break for menstruations. The human trial |
| to birth control took a different turn. | | | | was a success, not even one out of the 50 |
| Devices like condoms, sponges, douching | | | | women tested ovulated while on the pill. This |
| syringes (injection in the uterus with birth | | | | laid the foundation of the birth of Enovid, |
| control solution after intercourse), | | | | the first contraceptive pill. In 1960 FDA |
| diaphragms and cervical caps started being | | | | approved Enovid as a birth control pill. |
| widely used but some of them were not at all | | | | |
| safe. | | | | Today many new pills are available in the |
| | | | pharmaceutical circuit. You can opt for |
| Katherine McCormick, Margaret Sanger, Dr. | | | | Yasmin birth control or Lybrel birth control, |
| John Rock and Gregory Pincus are the names to | | | | as per the prescription given by your doctor. |
| reckon with, without their zeal and hard work | | | | But while buying spare a moment for these |
| the birth of contraceptive in the form of a | | | | great people without whom it would not have |
| pill would not have been possible. I would | | | | been possible to develop birth control pills. |
| especially want to give kudos to Katherine | | | | Great honor and acclaims should be given to |
| McCormick. | | | | the scientists that they without question |
| | | | deserve. However, the name of Katherine |
| Katherine McCormick was born in 1875 in a | | | | McCormick the real person behind the |
| wealthy family in Dexter, Michigan. In 1904, | | | | development of birth control pill and the |
| she became one of the first women to graduate | | | | sole financier, is today forgotten. Great |
| in a degree of science (biology) from | | | | injustice is done by us for not knowing and |
| Massachusetts institute of technology. She | | | | remembering the selfless women who paved the |
| got married to Stanley McCormick, heir to the | | | | way for our liberation. Therefore, let us all |
| International Harvester Company fortune, who | | | | give a toss to her, remembering that it is |
| later suffered from schizophrenia. Believing | | | | only because of her that today we can opt for |
| that schizophrenia is hereditary Katherine | | | | family planning and pursue our career without |
| McCormick vowed not to have any children. | | | | the hassle of periods and unwanted |
| Therefore, contraceptives became her prime | | | | pregnancies. Kudos! Katherine McCormick. |