The contraceptive pill: How it differs in the US and UK

Contraceptive pill was approved in 1960 in the US and 1961 in the UK

The contraceptive pill (Getty)

The contraceptive pill is 60 years old. It was on May 9, 1960, that the US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug for use, in what was seen as a significant step forward for women's reproductive rights.

It wasn't until a year later that the pill, called Enovid, was made available in the UK through the National Health Service (NHS).

The pill has changed the world, but it faced a long and rocky road to become the ubiquitous contraception it is today in both the US and the UK.

Although it was approved for use by the FDA in 1960, it took until 1965 for married couples to be given the right to use the pill in the US.

This was only available in 24 states, and it took until 1972 for the Supreme Court to make it legal to everyone in the country, no matter their marital status.

The pill was available through the NHS from 1961, but it took until 1967 for unmarried women to be given the right to seek contraceptive advice and until 1974 for family planning advice to be formally included as part of the healthcare service.

Despite the pill initially giving women sexual freedom and the ability to take control of their reproductive choices, by the 1970s, some women in the US campaigned against it.

In 1970, women challenged the safety of the pill in publicised congressional hearings and argued that it was patriarchal for them to be responsible for contraception.

The consequence of their campaign was that the pill was made safer, and information around side effects was made more readily available.

Despite these changes, they were unable to sway movement on an oral male contraceptive, and although the invention is often mooted, an alternative for men is still yet to exist.

Today, the pill is the most popular contraceptive today in both the US and UK, and four out of five sexually active women have used it in the former, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

In the UK, it has been reported that 3.1m women use the pill and that nine out of ten women are prescribed it when they talk about contraception with their doctor.

Contraceptive choices have become broader in both countries in the years since. Read on to see how the UK and US differ.

Cost of the pill

In the UK, the pill has always been easier to access, as it has been available for free through the NHS since it was first introduced in 1961.

It is free of charge with the service and women are often prescribed the pill instead of alternatives, as it can work as both a temporary and long term contraceptive.

For Americans, accessing the pill can be harder, and the American Pregnancy Association estimates that women pay between $20 (£16) and $800 (£646) a year on the contraceptive, depending on their insurance and healthcare plans.

Due to The Affordable Care Act, contraception is free for a majority of American women with insurance, as the bill stipulated that most insurance plans must cover the cost of contraceptives.

However, if someone does not have medical insurance, they will have to pay for the cost of the pill and the cost of a visit to a doctor to get it prescribed.

On their website, Planned Parenthood says that a one month pack of the pill can cost up to $50 (£40), while the visit to the doctor can cost between $35 (£28) and $250 (£201).

For many women in the US who do not have insurance, this makes the pill unaffordable and restricts access to those who are unable to afford it.

Restrictions to the pill

There are very few restrictions for women in the UK when it comes to accessing the contraceptive pill, as they are able to be prescribed it even if they are under the age of 16.

If someone is under the age of 16, then the NHS GP has to decide if they are mature enough to understand the decision involved before prescribing the contraceptive.

In some circumstances the doctor will tell the parents, but this is very rare and is in exceptional circumstances.

“If they believe there’s a risk to your safety and welfare, they may decide to tell your parents,” the NHS guidelines read. “The risk would need to be serious, and they’d usually discuss this with you first.”

In the US, access varies by state to state, but for a majority of places in the country, those under the age of 18 are able to purchase birth control without the permission from a parent, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

In total, 27 states allow those under the age of 18 to consent to contraceptive healthcare, without permission from a parent, including Alaska, California and Georgia.

Three states, including Alabama, Hawaii and Pennsylvania allow girls from the age of 14 to consent to contraceptive care.

In some states, including Montana, Minnesota and Kentucky, people under the age of 18 are able to get contraceptives, but physicians are able to inform their parents.

However, in Rhode Island, Ohio, North Dakota and Wisconsin, women need to be at least 18-years-old to consent to contraceptive services.