Understanding You 50 years of the Pill
On 11 May 1960, the first oral contraceptive was introduced in the USA and soon after in Australia. This one little Pill changed the course of history, giving women freedom like they had never experienced before.
Schering Australia, now part of Bayer Australia Limited, was there at the very beginning when the first oral contraceptive pill was launched. In 2010 we’re proud to mark 50 years of providing innovative contraceptive solutions for every woman at every stage of life.
This year, we celebrate women.
We celebrate the trailblazers like Margaret Sanger and Katherine McCormick who lobbied tirelessly to have a contraceptive pill developed and made accessible to all women. We celebrate amazing Australian women who continue to achieve greatness and inspire us all. And we celebrate a bright future for our daughters, the Australian women of tomorrow.
Just as the needs and lives of women have evolved over the past 50 years, the Pill has developed further to offer more options and choices for women. The Pill is now available in different doses, and regimens, as well as various combinations of hormones to meet the differing needs of women. To find out about your contraceptive needs, sign up for the body tracker or download the Little Book for Big Girls.
Historical Milestones of the Pill
Since it was first made available 50 years ago, the oral contraceptive pill has played an important role in the lives of women, allowing them to make choices in their lives, affecting education, career and family.
The following timeline charts the historical milestones and the social context leading to the development of the Pill and its evolution to meet differing needs of women.
"No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether or not she will be a mother."
Margaret Sanger, 1883 – 1966, American social reformer and Founder of the Birth Control MovementThe Early History of the Pill
Modern Milestones and Developments
www.understandingyou.com.au is a national contraceptive health education program in Australia endorsed by Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia and supported via an unrestricted educational grant by Bayer Australia Limited. The contents do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Bayer Australia.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.
