The expansion in access to reliable birth control in the second half of the 20th century was a major contributor to a sea change in the economic status of women. By enabling women to better determine when or if they have children, oral contraceptives and other methods of reliable birth control have helped make it possible for more women to pursue higher education, enter advanced professional fields and earn higher wages. In addition to increasing opportunities for women, family planning saves money, since birth control is generally orders of magnitude less expensive than the costs of an unplanned birth.