Permanent link for Women's History Month on March 10, 2025

Throughout history, women have played a vital role in advancing sexual health —breaking barriers, challenging taboos, and fighting for better care. From inventing ancient contraceptives to leading groundbreaking medical research, their contributions have shaped reproductive rights and changed the way we approach wellness. Yet, for far too long, women’s contributions to sexual health have been overlooked, dismissed, or underfunded. This Women’s History Month, let’s shine a spotlight on the trailblazers who revolutionized sexual health, proving that progress happens when women are offered a spot at the table. 

Women’s Contributions to Sexual Health: 

Despite significant societal and institutional barriers, women have been at the forefront of sexual health advancements throughout history, from ancient medicine to modern scientific breakthroughs. The following stories highlight just a few of the remarkable women who have made a lasting impact on sexual health. 

• The first documented gynecologist was a woman (4th Century BCE) 

• Specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, Agnodice of Athens disguised herself as a man to practice medicine because women were banned from the field. She was later tried for practicing medicine illegally, but the women of Athens defended her, ultimately changing the law against women practicing medicine. She has been credited with improving maternal care for the women of Athens and has become a symbol of female equity, determination, and ingenuity. 

• A woman developed the Pap smear with her own biospecimens (1954) 

• Andromachi “Mary” Papanikolaou was a Greek laboratory technician and the wife of Georgios Papanikolaou. For 21 years, Mary volunteered as an experimental subject to have her cervix sampled and smeared by her husband to help with his efforts to understand reproductive cycles. Mary even recruited friends to offer vaginal samples to contribute to baseline samples, which led to Georgios identifying pre-cancerous cells in one of the woman’s samples. When the test was formalized and named the Pap test in 1954 to screen for cervical cancer, Mary’s contributions were overlooked. Her husband Georgios was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and Mary wasn’t recognized for her efforts until later in life by the American Cancer Society.  

• Women have led groundbreaking research and advocacy on STIs 

• Dr. Helen Singer Kaplan revolutionized research on female sexual dysfunction and STIs in the 20th century, founding the first clinic for sexual disorders in the U.S. 

• Activists like Elizabeth Glaser and Dr. Mathilde Krim (among many others) played crucial roles in raising awareness, funding research, and destigmatizing HIV/AIDS, particularly for women and children. 

Women’s Contributions to Birth Control:  

Access to birth control has long been a cornerstone of women's reproductive autonomy, with women playing a central role in the development, legalization, and advocacy efforts to challenge restrictive laws and cultural norms. The following stories showcase the ways in which women have contributed to birth control advancements throughout history. 

• The first known contraceptive was invented by Ancient Egyptian Women 

• As early as 1850 BCE, Egyptian women used pessaries made of honey, acacia, and lint as contraceptives. Acacia ferments into lactic acid, a known spermicide. Other contraceptive methods used during this time period were condoms made from linen and fish intestines and – brace yourself here – animal dung as a vaginal suppository.  

• Women helped legalize birth control in the U.S. (1960’s) 

• Nurse and activist Margaret Sanger devoted her life to making birth control universally available for women in the U.S. She was arrested multiple times in the early 1900s for distributing birth control information and contraceptive devices. In addition to opening the first birth control clinic in the country, she also founded the American Birth Control League (the predecessor to Planned Parenthood) and spent three decades campaigning for safe and effective birth control for American women. Her efforts contributed to the development of the first FDA-approved birth control pill in 1960. 

• One of the key researchers to develop the morning after pill was female (1966)  

• Dr. Gertrude van Wagenen, with her peer Dr. John McLean Morris, published one of the first studies demonstrating that certain combinations of estrogen can prevent pregnancy if taken within a few days of sexual intercourse. This study played a vital role in developing what would become known as the “morning after” pill in the 1970’s, which we now know of as emergency contraception, or Plan B. 

Women’s contributions to sexual health have been instrumental in shaping the medical and reproductive landscape we know today. Yet, despite these achievements, many challenges remain in ensuring equitable healthcare and recognition for women's health research. By celebrating and acknowledging the women who have paved the way, we can continue advocating for progress to ensure a healthy future for all! 

Posted on Permanent link for Women's History Month on March 10, 2025.