Celebrating The Pill's 50th Year --
Many Happy Returns
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Dr. Vanessa Cullins |
The 50th Anniversary of THE PILL — June 2010
It was 50 years ago this month that the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approved the oral contraceptive — "The Pill" — for use by American women. Dr. Vanessa Cullins, Vice President for Medical Affairs of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), joins Future Choices in June 2010 to herald the many reasons that this was truly a momentous event worthy of celebration.
Dr. Cullins explains that modern contraceptive methods have "enabled both women and their families to reach aspirations they may not have been able to achieve without having a reliable way to prevent unintended pregnancy or to space their children."
In the course of her Future Choices interview, Dr. Cullins explores family planning from a variety of perspectives:
- The approval of the birth control pill ushered in a new era of contraception.
- New reliable methods of contraception are constantly being introduced.
- Access to reliable methods of contraception varies widely in the United States.
- Significant expansion of access to contraceptive care is one reason that the Health Care Reform legislation of 2010 is so exciting.
- There are a number of resources for ongoing information about Health Care Reform legislation and implementation.
The video of Dr. Cullins interview may be viewed online.
The 50th Anniversary of The Pill in the media:
Wall Street Journal, April 20, 2010
Time, May 3, 2010:
Cover article
New York Times, May 3, 2010
NBC's "Today Show" 5/7/10
Rachel Maddow, 5/7/10
Los Angeles Times, 5/7/10
Ms. Magazine, Spring 2010
Politics Daily, 5/7/10
"What Every Girl Should Know" by Gail Collins, 5/8/10
Huffington Post, 5/11/10
Washington Times, 5/11/10
Washington Post, 5/11/10
The approval of the birth control pill ushered in a new era of contraception.
We now have a wide array of modern contraceptive methods because The Pill was approved in 1960.The introduction of reliable birth control methods has done tremendous things for women in this country and across the world. It has enabled us:
- to finish our education.
- to join the work force in significantly greater numbers.
- to pursue careers at executive levels which were previously closed to women.
- to plan and space our children.
- to raise stronger and healthier families.
New reliable methods of contraception are constantly being introduced. They include:
- many different kinds of birth control pills
- IUDs (intrauterine devices)
- the patch
- vaginal ring
- vaginal implants
- birth control shot (Depo-Provera)
- permanent methods (sterilization) for women or for men.
- These methods provide a nice complement to the older, less effective methods like the condom, diaphragm or cervical cap.
Why do we need so many methods? Birth control methods are not one-size-fits-all. A method that’s perfect for one woman may not be right for another.
Over the course of her reproductive lifetime (onset of menstruation to menopause) a woman's contraceptive needs will change. Dr. Cullins reminds us that "what worked for you when you were in college may not be the right method for you as a young professional or as a mother who has completed her family."
When is Future Choices aired in your community?
See Local TV schedule for time and channel in each participating community in Westchester County.
Access to reliable methods of contraception has varied widely in the United States.
Despite the wide array of reliable methods of contraception on the market in this country, barriers to access have prevented millions of women from getting the birth control they need and want. These factors include:
- Economic well-being -- A great many women are uninsured or under-insured and so they cannot afford to pay for a reliable contraceptive method.
- Geography -- Millions of economically challenged women live in areas which lack publicly subsidized family planning clinics.
- Limits of Medicaid -- Many doctors do not accept Medicaid.
- Immigration status -- Recent immigrants (documented or undocumented) are unfamiliar with contraceptive methods and/or are unable to afford them.
- Age -- Sexually active teens may be uneducated about importance of avoiding pregnancy before their bodies have fully matured, and they may not know where to go for information or contraceptive services.
See also this report from Medill News Service/McClatchy:
[Fifty years ago] the Food and Drug Administration approved oral contraceptives, which changed the lives of generations of women, giving them the choice of when and how to have children.
Five decades later, however, millions of the country's poorest women aren't sharing in the empowerment....|MORE
As a result of these barriers to contraceptive care, the United States has long suffered an infant and maternal mortality rate far higher than similarly developed countries.
The video "Celebrating The Pill's 50th Year -- Many Happy Returns," featuring Dr. Cullins, may be viewed online.
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"Celebrating The Pill's 50th Year -- Many Happy Returns" Part 2 |
"Celebrating The Pill's 50th Year -- Many Happy Returns" Part 3 |
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Significant expansion of access to contraceptive care is one reason that the Health Care Reform legislation of 2010 is so exciting.
Health Care Reform legislation of 2010 is a big step forward for women, and a giant step toward a healthier America.
- The bill extends health care coverage to tens of millions of women and families.
- It guarantees access to affordable, lifesaving screenings for breast and cervical cancer.
- It protects women against gender discrimination by private insurers, meaning women cannot be charged more than men are charged for similar insurance policies.
- It ends the practice of dropping coverage because of pre-existing conditions, like breast cancer and pregnancy.
- It significantly increases insurance coverage of reproductive health care, including family planning.
- It provides that women now have guaranteed, direct access to ob/gyn services, and no longer need a referral or prior authorization from their health insurance company.
- Young women (and men) may opt to continue as beneficiaries of their parents' insurance plans until age 26.
- It eliminates for Medicare recipients all co-pay for preventive health services (like Pap smears, mammograms): free preventive health care for Medicare recipients.
- It provides for $75 million of comprehensive sexuality education funds to states seeking support of these programs, which have been shown to be highly effective in reducing teen pregnancy.
Dr. Cullins notes that we all need to stay alert to be sure that health care reform measures provided in the law are fully implemented.
- We need to stay in contact with our local, state and federal elected officials and agency administrators to ensure speedy and efficient implementation of the new law.
- We need to be especially vigilant that the 'working poor,' who have historically been uninsured or underinsured are fully covered.
There are a number of resources for ongoing information about Health Care Reform legislation and implementation.
Because there is so very much misinformation about Health Care Reform in the media and on the Internet, it is important for all responsible citizens to take advantage of a wide gamut of sources of accurate information about what the legislation brings to us.
- In Westchester County, Planned Parenthood/Hudson Peconic is a ready source of the ways in which access to comprehensive reproductive health care is enhanced by Health Care Reform starting in 2010.
- Family Planning Advocates of New York State is well positioned to keep residents aware of ways in which residents will benefit from the changes and pressing implementation actions needing their attention.
- Nationally, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) offers reliable, up-to-date information and action alerts.
- Action alerts at the federal level may be obtained through a free subscription to the Women’s Daily Health Policy Report provided by the National Partnership for Women and Families.
- Families USA offers a user-friendly site with state-specific fact sheets and advocacy tool kits.
- Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need is an excellent source for timely updates and advocacy actions.
- National Women’s Law Center shares their careful research on women-specific health care issues. Their site also has state-specific fact sheets about Health Care Reform.
- And, finally, the venerable Guttmacher Institute is always an excellent source of well-researched fact-sheets and policy background materials.
Reflections about The 50th Anniversary of the Pill from others
From EngenderHealth's News Blog: Lynn Bakamjian, Director, RESPOND Project:
"The flurry of media attention around the 50th anniversary of the oral contraceptive (popularly known as “the pill”) has been a great reminder to those of us who came of age during this time of the advances that women in the United States were able to make once they had the means to safe, available, and (mostly) affordable contraception. |MORE
From RHRealityCheck.org: "My Mother’s Story: Still a Reality for Far Too Many Women" by Francine Coeytaux
As we celebrate 50 years of “the Pill” and prepare to honor our mothers this Mother’s Day, I am struck by the difference between my mother’s childbearing experiences and my own. Thanks to an array of modern contraceptives, I was able to plan my fertility around my life, delaying my pregnancies until after I had finished my education and launched my career.
My mother’s story was the complete opposite...|MORE
More about Dr. Vanessa Cullins
Dr. Vanessa Cullins, Vice President for Medical Affairs of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), previously served as vice president and medical director of EngenderHealth, where she was responsible for the oversight and direction of medical teams providing technical support in reproductive health care in Asia, Africa and Latin America. |MORE
This page last updated June 17, 2010 11:32 .