Because of social, political, financial, or legal reasons, many contraceptive methods have been removed from the contraceptive armamentarium, sometimes almost as quickly as they were introduced. The original subdermal implant, a monthly intramuscular injection containing medroxyprogesterone acetate and estradiol cypionate, and a multitude of intrauterine devices have all been withdrawn from the US market after facing insurmountable problems. Over the last 45 years, however, oral contraceptives (OCs) have undergone extensive study, continual development and significant improvements. Unlike the original OCs, new low-dose OCs, as shown in Fig. 1, have few health risks when used in properly selected users and many health benefits. Currently, more than 100 million women worldwide and 18 million women in the United States rely on OCs (1).