American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 155, No. 6 : 580
Copyright © 2002 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
BOOK REVIEWS |
From the Editor
Many public health professionals, including epidemiologists, consider the world's population growth to be among the most serious public health problems to be addressed in the 21st century. One of the keys to the control of population growth is effective, universal family planning. Other factors that have proven successful include economic growth, improved education, and urbanization. In listing the "Ten Great Public Health Achievements—United States, 1900–1999," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention included family planning (1
). However, although family planning is effectively and widely practiced in the United States (certainly not "universally," however), many obstacles prevent worldwide acceptance of the need for population control and the adoption of family planning as a socially and morally desirable practice. Nevertheless, there is one obstacle that no longer impedes universal adoption of family planning—the availability of an effective, safe , and cheap method of preventing conception, namely, the contraceptive pill.
In, "Sexual Chemistry: A History of the Contraceptive Pill," Lara V. Marks provides a comprehensive history of the development and application of the "pill" (2). Enthusiastic reviews of this book have appeared in the New York Times, Science, and JAMA (3–5). In Science, historian Londa Schiebinger moderates her praise by pointing out some lacunae in Marks' coverage. In particular, she draws attention to field research in Mexico that identified the yam barbasco, which provided a cheap source for the steroidal hormones needed to create a widely available product. She also points out that Latin American women were observed by European travelers from the 16th to the 19th centuries to use local roots, flowers, and seeds as abortifacients and contraceptives. In JAMA, epidemiologist Elizabeth Barrett-Connor also draws attention to another recent book that she considers a companion to the Marks' book because of its extensive consideration of the "turbulent history" of male contraception (6).
Readers may wish to examine these readily available reviews to decide whether to read and/or acquire these books.
REFERENCES
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ten great public health achievements—United States, 1900–1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1999;48:241–3.
- Marks LV. Sexual chemistry: a history of the contraceptive pill. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001.
- Kevles DJ. The secret history of birth control. New York Times Book Report. July 22, 2001:11.
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Schiebinger L. The pill in context. Science 2001;294:2106.
[Free Full Text] - Barrett-Connor E. Contraception. JAMA 2001;286:2738.
- Tone A. A history of contraceptives in America. New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 2001.
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