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inside my head
history of birth control
c. 3000 B.C.
First Condoms Invented in Egypt
Those pyramids weren't the only things they had going on...Ancient drawings show men wearing condoms, sometimes made of animal hide. While it isn't really clear whether they were used for sex or ceremonial dress, one thing was clear--the Egyptians were on top of this safe sex thing a looong time ago.
c. 1850 BC
First Contraceptives Made of Honey and Crocodile Dung
Egyptian texts are the first known record of suppository contraceptives. These texts describe the suppositories as being made from honey and crocodile dung (just imagine the smell!) The recipes for these methods were buried with Egyptian dead, so they wouldn't get pregnant in the afterlife.
300 years later in Egypt, pregnancy prevention methods had progressed to using tampon-shaped pieces of cotton soaked in fermented plant juice.
c. 600 BC Great
Great grandparent of "The Pill" Discovered
Greek colonists discovered the great, great grandparents of "The Pill" in Northern Africa. The herb, called Silphion, was one of mankind's first oral contraceptives. It was also stubborn. This member of the giant fennel family refused to be cultivated, and by 100 A.D. the plant was harvested to extinction. More proof that it is possible to be too popular...
1640 A.D.
Fish and Animal Condoms
The oldest known condoms were found in Dudley castle near Birmingham, England. Made of fish and animal intestines, these condoms were used to prevent sexually transmitted disease rather than prevent pregnancy.
It kinda makes a person appreciate rubber in a whole new way...
1725-1798
Primitive Cervical Cap
Casanova, a Venetian writer, adventurer and connoisseur of sex, kept a record of his bedroom innovations. His memoirs reveal experiments with the hollowed-out rind of a half lemon as a primitive cervical cap. Casanova's unconventional use of the fruit may give new meaning to the phrase, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."
1844
Mass Produced Re-usable Condoms
Charles Goodyear creates a stronger, durable, more elastic type of rubber. Soon, condoms are mass produced. Unlike modern condoms--made to be used once and thrown away--early condoms were washed, lathered with petroleum jelly, and put away in special wooden boxes for later re-use.
British playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw called the rubber condom the "Greatest invention of the nineteenth century." We're guessing people were only too happy to get rid of those animal intestine condoms.
1873
Pornography Outlawed
The Comstock Law is accepted to prevent the spread of information with "suggestive" content. Things outlawed under this law include pornography and educational information about birth control and reproductive health.
Under the Comstock Law, it's illegal to have any obscene books, pictures, pamphlets, etc. Imagine your health teacher being arrested for teaching "suggestive" subjects...
1914
The Birth of the Birth Control Clinic
The term "birth control" was first used by Margaret Sanger in a June issue of The Woman Rebel. Sanger then went on to open up the first US birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. She believed that every woman should have access to information about birth control and a place to get it safely.
The police immediately raided the clinic and arrested Margaret Sanger for violating the Comstock Law. Later, Margaret Sanger was released and went on to establish Planned Parenthood.
1927
Forced Sterilization of Mentally Retarded Women
The Supreme Court case of Buck vs. Bell ruled that mentally retarded women must undergo sterilization to ensure they could not get pregnant. This decision was made in the hopes of limiting the number of people born with such disabilities.
The case wasn't overturned until the 1970s, when a mother had forced sterilization of her "slightly" retarded daughter. It was found that this girl should not have had the mandatory procedure, calling into question the subjective nature of the law.
1930-1960
Lysol Disinfectant as Contraceptive?
During this time, the most popular female contraceptive was...Lysol disinfectant. Ads hyped it as a feminine hygiene product; even "doctors" in Europe supported it. Later, investigations by the American Medical Association showed that these experts did not exist.
Needless to say, despite its longstanding popularity, Lysol does not work as a contraceptive.
1960
Oral Birth Control Pills Available to the Public
Following approval from the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration), the first birth control pill is made widely available to the public. It is called Envoid and is available only through a doctor's prescription.
The pill was eventually taken off the market because the hormone dosage was 10 times higher than necessary and was connected to serious blood clots. Things have improved since then--not only is the pill totally safe, there are also many different types to choose from.
1965
No Longer Illegal to Use Contraception While Married
The Supreme Court case of Griswold vs. Connecticut overturned an 1879 law that prohibited the use of contraception within a marriage. It was found unconstitutional, based on the fact that it violated the "right to marital privacy."
A doctor claiming that use of contraception was sometimes necessary for the health and well being of the married couple had challenged the law four years earlier, but to little success.
1977
16 Year Olds and Older Have Access to Contraception
The law prohibiting anyone under 16 years old from having access to contraception is found unconstitutional with the case Carey vs. Population Services International. With this decision, advertising for contraception and the distribution of certain types of contraception from people other than pharmacists is finally legal.
Though there are still some types of contraception that require a prescription, it's helpful that a person can just walk into a drug store and buy condoms, without being interrogated and searched.
1999
Plan B is Available to the Public
Also known as Emergency Contraception or "The Morning After" pill, Plan B is finally made available to the general public after several years of development. Plan B can be used up to 120 hours after sex to protect against pregnancy (but not STDs).
The pill was once called America's "Best Kept Secret," due to its controversial nature and the public's little awareness of its existence.
 monkeybite · Wed Nov 22, 2006 @ 09:21pm · 0 Comments |
