Modern contraception: a 1989 update.

Abstract

In the 1960s oral contraception was 1st introduced and IUDs were reintroduced; for the 1st time women in developed countries were liberated from the earlier traditional role of repeated child bearing. Although significant improvements have been made since the 1960s in hormonal and intrauterine contraception very few new contraceptive breakthroughs have been achieved. Developments have been hindered by a decrease in contraceptive research by the pharmaceutical industry. Only 1 major US drug company is currently involved in this area of research as compared with several in the past. This decreased American interest is a result of the product liability issue in the US and complex regulatory requirements. As of 1986 156 million couples are protected by sterilization approximately 72% of these being female sterilization. In the Peoples Republic of China some 59 million women are using IUDs; an additional 24 million women throughout the rest of the world also use this method of birth control. 64 million women are using oral contraceptives; perhaps as many as 200-300 million women have used this method of contraception at 1 time or another over the past 28 years. This makes oral contraceptives probably the most widely used systemic medication for a preventive purpose in the history of medicine. At the same time approximately 57% of the some 850-880 million married couples of reproductive age many of them in the developing world are unprotected. Some of the promising new birth control methods that may be available in the future include new hormonal implants antiprogesterone menses inducers and vaccines.