The use of the pill brought on the sexual revolution of the 60s (www.ilmc.com)
In the 1960s, norethindrone was isolated for use in the first oral contraceptive which came to be known as the pill. The pill brought on the "Free Love" movement of the 60s, as well as women's liberation movement, the rise of feminism and, eventually, the breakdown of the family. (Le Couteur & Burreson 201-222) 
A more primitive form of birth control was the use of the female hormone, progesterone. Progestesterone is released naturally by the female's body during pregnancy to suppress ovulation, and therefore, prevents the woman from getting pregnant again, during her first pregnancy. This is the same idea as the use of progestesterone as a contraceptive, progestesterone prevents ovulation. The only problem with this method is that it was very difficult and expensive to isolate the necessary quantity of progestesterone to prevent ovulation. Also, progestesterone had to be injected to maintain it potentcy. (Le Couteur & Burreson 201-222)
To battle the problems of progestesterone, norethindone was synthesized in 1951. Norethindone is 8 times more powerful than progestesterne and can be taken orally. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, and Katherine McCormick were the driving force behind the legalization of the pill and illegally smuggled birth control in to the US for thousands of women. (Le Couteur & Burreson 201-222)
Norethindrone
(dailymed.nlm.nih.gov)
