The new 24/4 oral contraceptive pill

Abstract

"It is our experience, as it was our aim, that as a result of child-spacing, and adequate care of mothers, death rates would be reduced. It is now a fact that as a result of birth control, the survival rate among mothers and children is higher. There is less suffering for all groups" (Margaret Sanger, 1947). -- The above quotation came from Margaret Sanger, then President of the American Society of Family Planning, who had the vision that family planning would holistically be beneficial to society. In fact in 1951, Margaret Sanger through her ardent supporter, Katherine Dexter McCormick, collected a total of $150,000 (a substantial amount for the time) so as to fund research on oral contraception. With this funding Dr Gregory Pincus commenced preclinical trials suppressing ovulation in rabbits. Within a decade Dr Carl Djerassi was able to produce the first oral contraceptive pill which was initially tested in Puerto Rico and Haiti.