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Editor's note
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In the early 1900s, a nurse working in the slums of New York City sought a way for women there to escape the effects of repeated pregnancy and childbirth, and deaths from backstreet abortions.
Margaret Sanger, who would go on to establish Planned Parenthood, had a vision for a new form of contraception that could be taken orally and would not interfere with sex or fertility.
It took almost 50 years to develop, but the contraceptive pill is now the most popular form of contraception in Australia, and is used by more than 100 million women worldwide.
But despite its popularity, myths still abound about its use. It’s not true you should take a break from it every now and then, or that you should allow yourself to have a natural period every month. And many women who take it don’t know depression is a side effect.
Over the past two weeks, The Conversation’s experts have outlined, in a seven-part-package, everything you should know about the little pill that brought sexual freedom to women all over the world.
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Fron Jackson-Webb
Senior Health + Medicine Editor/Deputy Chief of Staff
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Women in the 1960s were the first to experience the reproductive freedoms of the contraceptive pill.
AAP
Bryony McNeill, Deakin University
Before the pill, contraceptive options were extremely limited and generally required the cooperation of the male partner. Almost 60 years later, the pill remains the mainstay of contraception.
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When looking for the right pill, women want to weigh up the cost, safety, efficacy and side effects of the pill.
NordWood Themes
Anita Phillips, Deakin University
There are more than 30 different types of contraceptive pills. But brand names such as Microgynon, Levlen, Yaz and Brenda give little indication of the ingredients, dose or who should use them.
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The pill is the most popular form of contraception for women under 30.
Tyler Nix
Jayne Lucke, La Trobe University
There is no biological evidence for “giving your body a break” and in fact, it could do your health more harm than good.
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Deborah Bateson, University of Sydney
Unlike condoms, which need to be used every time with sex, or the pill, which must be taken every day, LARC doesn’t require any action after placement in the body and is immediately reversible.
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Mia Schaumberg, University of the Sunshine Coast
Women on the pill are able to manipulate or suppress their menstrual cycles to have fewer "periods", or to avoid bleeding at important or inconvenient times.
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Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University; Caroline Gurvich, Monash University
We usually focus on the physical health effects of the pill, yet the most common reason women stop or change the pill is mental health side effects.
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Adam Watkins, University of Nottingham
Male contraceptives have been under development for at least the past 50 years, because of the success of the female pill and pessimism about men taking a pill.
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Featured jobs
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University of Melbourne — Parkville, Victoria
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RMIT University — Melbourne, Victoria
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Swinburne University of Technology — Hawthorn, Victoria
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Western Sydney University — Parramatta, New South Wales
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Featured events
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55 Elizabeth Street , Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia — University of Newcastle
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Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia — University of Sydney
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Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia — University of Sydney
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19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton Campus, Victoria, 3800, Australia — Monash University
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