By Johannah Cornblatt
President Obama's conflict with religious-affiliated employers over funding for contraception has shined a spotlight on the age-old battle involved with birth control. Proponents of abstinence-only education note that not having sex at all is the only surefire way to prevent pregnancy. True enough in theory, but much harder to enforce in practice. Advocates of a more comprehensive approach to sex ed argue that providing the best available information about, and access to, contraception will help keep teenagers and adults alike from getting pregnant—even if they give in to their carnal desires. Of course, what was once considered the "best available" tools has evolved rapidly through the years. Here, a look back at preventive birth control—and some of the controversy that goes with it.
