Combined oral contraceptive pill — birth control method that includes a combination of an estrogen (estradiol) and a progestogen (progestin)
The combined oral contraceptive pill, approved in the US in 1960, became one of the most widely used contraceptive methods globally and contributed to the sexual revolution.
Key Facts
- First US approval
- 1960
- Global users
- More than 100 million women worldwide
- US users
- Approximately 9 million women
- US usage rate (2015–2017)
- 12.6% of women aged 15–49
- WHO status
- Listed on WHO's List of Essential Medicines
- UK usage
- One third of women aged 16–49 use combined or progestogen-only pill
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Research into hormonal control of reproduction during the mid-twentieth century led scientists to develop synthetic hormones capable of suppressing ovulation. The demand for reliable, female-controlled contraception and advances in steroid chemistry created the conditions for the pill's development and regulatory approval in the United States in 1960.
The combined oral contraceptive pill contains a progestin and an estrogen, typically ethinylestradiol or 17β estradiol. When taken correctly, it alters the menstrual cycle to prevent ovulation and pregnancy. It was first approved for contraceptive use in the United States in 1960 and has since become one of the most widely adopted prescription medications in history.
The pill rapidly spread worldwide, used by over 100 million women, and became the second most common contraceptive method among US women aged 15–49. Its availability transformed reproductive autonomy and was widely regarded as a catalyst for the sexual revolution, though uptake varies considerably by country, age, education, and marital status.