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It is perhaps taken for granted these days that every woman has access to predominately safe, reliable and effective contraception. But it was only a generation ago that the contraceptive pill was introduced. It was during the early 1960's that finally woman did have access to a means of ccontraceptionthat was if used properly effective. The early pill with it's high dose of hormones did have many side effects unfortunately.The

moral majority believed strongly at the time that the introduction of the pill in the 1960's gave rise to the promiscuity that was apparently rife in the so called swinging 60's. But finally women were able to take charge of their sexuality and reproduction. Yes it may have led to more woman becoming sexually active due to the fear of an unwanted pregnancy being lessened but does anyone have the right to judge.

Margaret Sangar, an American woman's rights and birth control advocate is the heroine that woman world wide have to thank. It was Sangar after a lifetime of campaigning on birth control matters in her 80's that raised the $150,000 that started the first project back in the 1950's. Woman world wide owe a debt of gratitude to this woman who had the foresight and vision to finally emancipate woman and allow them to finally take charge of their bodies.

Over the years the contraceptive pill has changed many times form the high dose pill available in the 1960's to the pill we have availably to day. The pill if used properly is a highly effective method of contraception with a failure rate of about 1%.But as with all hormonal contraception it does have it's risks and side effects.

Today you will find two versions of the pill available: The Combined pill - which is the most popular version. This contains doses of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone other version is the POP or progesterone only pill or the mini pill.

*How it works*

The combined pill: The hormones contained in the combined pill work by preventing ovulation. Ovulation is where every month a woman's ovaries release an egg ready for fertilisation. When a woman has ovulated her vaginal mucosa also becomes very thin and slippery to enable the sperm easier access into the womb, the combined pill also acts on the vaginal mucosa making it sticky and thick this in turn helps prevent an easy journey for the sperm into the womb.

The Mini Pill: the main effect of the mini pill is to help thicken the plug of mucos mucosad the cervix or entrance to the womb there by making

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