The History Of Birth Control | TIME

Summary

This transcript delves into the history of contraception, revealing how humans have sought ways to prevent pregnancy for thousands of years. From ancient China’s dangerous lead and mercury cocktails to bizarre medieval European beliefs involving weasel testicles, early methods were often ineffective and harmful. However, modern contraception has roots in these ancient practices, such as the use of condoms and cervical caps. The turning point came in 1960 with the FDA’s approval of the oral contraceptive pill. Despite advancements, many women globally still lack access to safe birth control.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ Contraceptives have been used for thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations.
• ⚠️ Many ancient methods were ineffective and harmful, such as using lead, mercury, or crocodile dung.
• 🇨🇳 Ancient Chinese concubines drank a mixture of lead and mercury, leading to serious health issues like sterility and death.
• 🇪🇬 Egyptian women used honey, sodium carbonate, and crocodile dung as contraceptive methods.
• 🏛️ In ancient Greece, women were advised to hold their breath and sneeze after intercourse to avoid pregnancy.
• 🐾 In medieval Europe, women believed tying weasel testicles to their bodies would prevent pregnancy.
• 🖼️ Ancient cave drawings suggest that early versions of condoms existed, and lemons were used as cervical caps in the 18th century.
• 🔬 The modern history of contraception began in the mid-1800s with the invention of mass-produced rubber condoms.
• 🚫 U.S. anti-obscenity laws in the 19th and early 20th centuries restricted access to contraceptive information.
• 💊 The approval of the oral contraceptive pill by the FDA in 1960 revolutionized birth control, thanks to activists like Margaret Sanger.

Q & A

What are some ancient contraceptive methods mentioned in the script?

Ancient methods included drinking a cocktail of lead and mercury in China, using a paste made of honey, sodium carbonate, and crocodile dung in Egypt, and tying weasel testicles to the body in Europe.

What were some of the dangerous side effects of ancient Chinese contraceptive methods?

The cocktail of lead and mercury used in ancient China could cause sterility, brain damage, kidney failure, and even death.

How did ancient Egyptians try to prevent pregnancy?

Ancient Egyptian women mixed honey, sodium carbonate, and crocodile dung into a paste and inserted it before intercourse.

What unusual contraceptive advice was given by an ancient Greek gynecologist?

A gynecologist in Greece named Soranus advised women to hold their breath during intercourse and sneeze afterward to prevent pregnancy.

What forms of contraception have ancient roots according to the script?

Condoms, as shown in ancient French cave drawings, and cervical caps, which Casanova described using lemon halves, have ancient origins.

When did the mass production of condoms begin, and what made it possible?

Condom mass production began in the mid-1800s when vulcanized rubber was patented.

What were some household products women used as contraceptives in the 19th and early 20th centuries?

Women used household products like Lysol and Coca-Cola, mistakenly believing they would kill sperm.

Who was a major advocate for the development of the oral contraceptive pill, and when was it approved?

Activist Margaret Sanger and a team of doctors were key in the development of the oral contraceptive pill, which was approved by the FDA in 1960.

What was the impact of the oral contraceptive pill on American women within five years of its approval?

Within five years of the pill's approval, millions of American women had prescriptions for it.

What percentage of American women of childbearing age have used some form of contraception?

According to the script, 99% of American women of childbearing age have used some form of contraception.