To close out women's history month, let’s learn about the history of contraception! Imagine yourself with no modern birth control. No condoms, birth control pills, or even the morning after pill. You find yourself with a hard choice: abstain from having sex or have sex with the risk of becoming pregnant relatively often. Choose wisely. Epidurals did not exist and giving birth was extremely dangerous.
Although modern birth control did not emerge until the early twentieth century, the world was not devoid of contraceptives. Records of condoms made from fish and animal skins were earliest documented in 3000 B.C.E. by the King of Crete [1]. Ancient Egyptians also used something similar to condoms to prevent the spread of disease [1]. Surprisingly, Egyptians also had papyrus scrolls explaining different birth control recipes [2]. In Ancient Greece, plants such as asafoetida and Queen Anne’s Lace were used to prevent pregnancy [2]. However, these forms of birth control were often hazardous and ineffective.
While the first intrauterine devices were produced in the early 1900s, contraception was not always met with support. One of the most important advocates for the right to contraception was Margaret Sanger. She coined the term “birth control” and believed that forcing motherhood onto women was an infringement on the right to life and liberty [3]. She went on to found the first birth control league in the United States. Her work—along with the works of many others including John Rock, Gregory Pincus, and Barbara Seaman—has allowed women to protect their bodily autonomy.
Here are some of the most common types of contraception today [4].
1. Condoms are the only type of contraceptives that protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy. There are both male and female condoms. Condoms are easy to carry, but be careful of tearing or slipping during use.
2. Oral contraceptive pills (birth control pills) need to be taken on time to be effective. If the pill is taken correctly, then the woman is highly protected from pregnancy.
3. Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are small, T-shaped devices that are fitted inside a woman’s uterus by a healthcare provider. They are a long term method of contraception, lasting from three to ten years.
4. An emergency contraception pill (the ‘Morning After’ Pill) is taken to prevent pregnancy after sex. The sooner the pill is taken after sex, the more effective it is.
5. Contraceptive injections are when a synthetic form of the drug progesterone is injected into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy. The effects of the injection last for about three months, so women who use this form of contraception are advised to track the number of months used.
6. A contraceptive implant is a small rod placed in a woman’s upper arm that releases a form of progesterone. The progesterone prevents the woman from becoming pregnant. This is another form of long-term contraceptive; the rod needs to be replaced after three years.
7. Sterilization is an option for those who are sure that they never want to have children . This form of contraception is not reversible.
Women, take charge of your health! If you have concerns about your form of contraception, contact your primary care physician.
Image: Getty Images
[3] https://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book-excerpts/health-article/a-brief-history-of-birth-control/
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