Premium
The Role of Birth Control in the Survival of the Human Race
Author(s) -
Wiechert Rudolf
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition in english
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 0570-0833
DOI - 10.1002/anie.197705061
Subject(s) - birth control , race (biology) , progestogen , family planning , population control , population , demography , estrogen , medicine , research methodology , gender studies , sociology , endocrinology
Analysis of the growth of the world's population shows that if no trenchant measures are taken, the number of the earth's inhabitants is likely to double to 8 billion people within as few as 35 years. Hormonal contraception is presently the best method available which would be capable of counteracting this trend. 6.5 tons of estrogen and 32 tons of progestogen would in theory be sufficient to protect the 500 million women of child‐bearing age from unwanted pregnancies for one year.—In addition, the history, industrial methods of synthesis, mode of action and side effects of steroid contraceptives as well as the possible future developments are briefly mentioned.