The hormonal birth control pill, also known as “the pill,” underwent clinical trials in Puerto Rico in the mid-1950s. The laws surrounding birth control in Puerto Rico were not as stringent as those in the United States, making it ideal for the scientist Dr. Gregory Pincus to test the drug on poor Puerto Rican women who wanted to avoid pregnancy at all costs. The risks were high, as the earliest pill contained much higher amounts of hormones than modern-day pills. The women reported being in pain, but since the efficacy of the drug was proven to be 100%, their pain wasn’t important. The FDA approved the pill not long after. On the other hand, the FDA is still yet to approve a safe contraceptive alternative for men.
Credit: B.S. Moss Motion Picture Corporation / Message Photo-Play Co., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Responsibility Forced on Women, Denied to Men
It’s not that men don’t want birth control options for themselves. In fact, an early 2000s study revealed that 83% of men would be willing to get on birth control. The development of a male hormonal birth control injection was underway in 2011. However, researchers pulled the plug on it after some participants experienced significant side effects, including depression, similar to the side effects seen in women using hormonal contraceptives. At the end of the trial, about three-quarters of the participants were still willing to continue using the drug and share the responsibility of contraception, but they were not permitted to do so. It is also important to note that there have been attempts to develop a safe and accessible form of male birth control, yet most fall short due to lack of funding since male birth control isn’t a priority for pharmaceutical companies at the moment.
It takes two to tango, but the side effects of hormonal contraceptives and the risks of unintended pregnancies tend to fall on women in heterosexual relationships disproportionately. From acne to mental health fluctuations to increased risk of blood clots and cardiovascular issues, the effects of hormonal contraceptives can drastically affect a woman’s quality of life.
The Personal Impact of Reproductive Healthcare
Over the years, I have spoken to several women of different ages, marital statuses, abilities, races, and backgrounds concerning their preferred birth control methods, and each woman has had at least one negative experience with hormonal birth control. I, for one, can say in full confidence that being on the pill for acne treatment and other hormonal conditions was the worst time in my life.
Thank goodness for modern medicine because now women have a variety of non-hormonal options to choose from like the diaphragm, the cervical cap, and the copper IUD among other things. However, finding the right contraceptive for a woman can be time-consuming and financially burdensome. It takes some women months, sometimes even years, to find one that works for them in the long term with the least amount of side effects.
(Contraceptive diaphragm)
The Myth of the “Default Human”
Due to the longstanding bias that iterates that men should represent the default human, female sexual and reproductive health is still grossly underrepresented in the healthcare industry. Women are used to being overlooked medically, as their pain is often minimized. It has been almost five decades since the earliest birth control pill, yet women’s pain is still being dismissed.
I recognize that female contraceptives have empowered women to take autonomy over their reproductive health for decades. However, it is more than time to double down on this progress by creating a reproductive healthcare system that truly values everyone, with safe and accessible options for all.
Credit: Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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