The first study on the use of hormones to prevent after-sex pregnancy was published in 1967. A form of emergency contraceptive was introduced into the global market in the early 1970s. It was very different from what we use today. It had a much lower success rate and more extreme side effects. However, in the United States it was only approved for use in extreme situations, such as rape and incest. EC, as we know it today, was not FDA approved until the late 1990s.
A mass movement by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1995 formed The International Consortium for Emergency Contraception. This organization promoted emergency contraceptives as part of worldwide reproductive health education. It was hoped that EC, which was virtually unknown in developing nations, could help prevent unwanted or dangerous pregnancies. Since the introduction of this foundation, EC has become a vital tool in international reproductive health regulation.
