Who Discovered Oral Contraceptive Pill?


Photo of Luiz Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas
According to 2015 United Nations' data, 64% of sexually active women worldwide have used some hues of contraception. Though, contraceptive use differed according to geographical regions. It was higher in developed countries than in developing countries. Moreover, modern contraceptive types constituted the widely contraceptive use. Female sterilization, IUD, and contraceptive pills are some types of modern contraceptive use. This article focuses on the discovery of oral contraceptive. Who discovered it? 
 
The discovery of oral contraceptive can be aptly understood by first comprehending the meaning of oral contraceptives and how they work. What are oral contraceptives? They are pills that preclude pregnancy. Oral contraceptives may have combinations of hormones (progestin and oestrogen) or progestin only. The progestin and oestrogen impede pregnancy by preventing the release of two important hormones (follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) from the brain (pituitary gland). Follicle stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) play crucial roles in ova development and uterus preparation for embryo implantation. Additionally, progestin renders the uterine mucus that covers ova tougher thus making it impossible for sperm to penetrate and fertilize the ova. Progestin hinders ovulation in some women. 

Now, after familiarizing yourself with the basics of contraceptives, the next is to know the person who discovered oral contraceptives. Luiz Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas discovered the first oral contraceptive in 1951. When he was only 25 years old, he synthesized norethisterone, which is the base of the first oral contraceptive. 

Luiz Miramontes is a prolific Mexican chemist. He was born in Tepic, Nayarit on the sixteenth day of March 1925. Miramontes’ scientific work is vast, covering several written publications and about 40 international and national patents on various disciplines. These disciplines include the chemistry of environmental pollutants, organic chemistry, petrochemicals and pharmaceutical chemistry. 

Miramontes’ name was inscribed next to the names of renowned world inventors in the United States of American Inventors Hall of Fame because of his discovery and synthesis of norethisterone. The invention of norethisterone has received multiple recognitions. Some of these recognitions are:

  • In 2005, it was named by the Mexican Science Academy as Mexicos fundamental contribution to the world of science in the 20th century.
  •  In 2003, norethisterone was considered among the 17 most crucial molecules in the humankind history.  

Before he died in Mexico City on the 13th day of September 2004, he was as a professor at UNAM, Faculty of Chemistry and at Universidad Iberoamericana, School of Chemistry. In addition, he was a director (basic research) at IMP (Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo). Finally, he was a member of several scientific societies such as American Chemical Society and Mexican Institute of Chemical Engineers among others. 

Even though Miramontes contributed a lot to his country and universe science, the most remarkable contribution is the invention of norethisterone in 1951. This is the compound that today has played critical roles in modern contraceptive use. The most intriguing part of Miramontes’ norethisterone invention is that he did this when he was still young. At 25 years old! At this stage, many young scholars' minds are preoccupied with things, which are not aligned to benefit the society. 

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