When were condoms first produced for the masses? When was the pill decriminalized? In honour of World Contraception Day (it’s TODAY, woot woot!) we decided to look at the milestones of birth control in Canada; we’re kind of nerdy like that. Here’s what we uncovered:

1914 – The term birth control is coined by women’s rights activists and Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger

1920s – The first latex condoms are manufactured

1932 – Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw, one of Canada’s first female doctors, opens the first community birth control clinic in Canada

1960 – “The Pill” is available in Canada with a doctor’s prescription to women for therapeutics but not for contraception

1969 – Contraception is decriminalized in Canada

1994 – Public Health Agency of Canada developed the first “Guidelines for Sexual Health Education”

1996 – A study finds that on average, women miss 2.6 birth control pills per cycle

1999 – Health Canada approves emergency contraceptive pill, better known as “the morning after pill”

2001 – A new hormonal birth control called an “Intrauterine System” is made available in Canada

2007 – World Contraception Day is celebrated for the first time

2010 – A study finds that half of all pregnancies in North America are unintended

Shocked? Surprised? We were too. Between the average woman missing 2.6 pills per cycle and the super high number of unintended pregnancies in North America, it’s clear that the system isn’t working as well as it should be.

You have options now, people! Options that go far beyond condoms and birth control pills, which can be hard to keep track of, especially for millennials who are always on the go. A long-acting non-daily contraceptive method, like an intrauterine device aka IUD may be a far better fit with your lifestyle.

We’ve talked about it before, but we firmly believe that open and honest dialogue about birth control is KEY. Talk to your lady pals, and don’t be afraid to share your birth control victories and horror stories alike, today and every day until the subject ceases to be taboo. We got this.