This is what we've learned in the years since: that the pill is not so good for people who are scared of developing blood clots and dying of a stroke.
But this is what you might be surprised to hear: that the pill can play a role in everything from how we lose our hair to what we choose to eat.
Below, a list of eight facts you might never have come across about the pill, courtesy of LiveScience and our own YourTango archives.
1. Women on birth control pills chase the wrong kinds of men. Not wrong kinds as in "he has bad hair and lives in his mother's basement." Bad as in "we might be related." That's right. In at least two major studies, women on the pill have been shown to be most attracted to the scents of men with DNA immune systems most similar to their own.
2. The pill is good for female pattern hair loss.
3. The pill has been shown to reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
4. Birth control pills can be used to treat bulimics. A 2007 study found that bulimics tend to have higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of estrogen. When given estrogen-dominated oral contraceptives, participants in the study experienced fewer cravings for fat and sugar, and after three months, a reduction in overall appetite. At the end of the study, 3 of the 21 participants were no longer bulimic.
5. Pre-menopausal women on the pill have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
6. The birth control pill impairs muscle development.
7. The pill can cause sexual side effects such as decreased arousal, desire, and lubrication, as well as increased pain.
8. Men are less attracted to women on the pill. A recent study found that female lap dancers on the pill earned $37 per hour while those who weren't averaged $53. Perhaps this is because women who ovulate look different. Or maybe they smell different. Regardless, they are considered more attractive to men. Of course, this might not matter to you if (as in point number 1), the main guy you're chasing around the living room these days is your brother.
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Written by Kristen Meinzer for YourTango.com