Raquel Welch feels the Pill has led to decline of the institution of marriage

Hollywood actress Raquel Welch, 69, believes the Pill has led to the decline of the institution of marriage as it has made promiscuity easier.

The One Million Years BC star said things are so uncontrollable that "these days nobody seems able to keep it in their pants or honour a commitment".

"The growing proliferation of birth control methods has had an awesome effect on both sexes and led to a sea change in moral values," The Telegraph quoted Welch as saying in an article for CNN marking the introduction of the birth-control pill in the US market 50 years ago.

She wrote: "As I've grown older over the past five decades and lived through this revolutionary period in female sexuality, I've seen how it has altered American society for better or worse."

Welch admitted that the Pill had "made it easier for a woman to choose to delay having children until after she established herself in a career".

But she suggested a "significant and enduring" effect on women was the idea that they could have sexual intercourse "without any consequences", with the result that fewer today see marriage as "a viable option".

Despite three failed marriages, Welch still believes marriage is the "cornerstone of civilisation, an essential institution that stabilises society, provides a sanctuary for children, and saves us from anarchy".

She wrote: "Seriously folks, if an ageing sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it's gotta be pretty bad."