Title:
The Roots of Contraception Word Count:
490 Summary:
This article summarizes different events that triggered women into preventing pregnancy with the use of several birth control methods, all depending from their time period, race, religion, beliefs, and so on. From rituals, myths, amulets and dances, birth control has been
practiced for many years.
Keywords: birth control
Article Body:
Even before, women have already used birth control to avoid pregnancy especially if she had children.
Pregnancy is considered as a dangerous business for women even before the advent of modern medicine, and many women have died because of this
occurrence. Most of the birth control methods that were developed were done so with trial and error, and some of the secrets were quietly passed down through generations.
gynecologist Soranus already knew that women became fertile every ovulation period, and thus promoted the rhythm method. Unfortunately, he was wrong on his assumption that ovulation period happens during menstruation, rather than prior to it. Soranus also
recommended several, less scientific ways to prevent conception: holding one’s breath while drawing the body back during sexual intercourse to avoid sperm penetration in the uterus; sperm dislodging by jumping backwards seven times after intercourse; and sitting on bent knees in order to provoke sneezing. Also, 1st century prostitutes are said to have grounded their pelvises just to increase their partner’s pleasure, with the
assumption that these movements simultaneously divert the sperm away from the womb.
To prevent conception, ancient Roman women wore a leather pouch containing a cat’s liver on their left foot
times at midnight. While others sought the idea that if they inserted a
finger inside the vagina and ˆswished it around˜ after intercourse, this could dislodge and confuse the sperm. Around the same time frame, women in other parts of the world wore birth control necklaces or carried amulets in order to avoid pregnancy.
However, in cultures where the moon is believed to be responsible for
fertilizing crops, women sleep under the moonlight just to prevent
moonbeams from impregnating them. In a similar situation, Papuan Islanders worries about their homosexual males getting pregnant. To ensure that this does not happen, they held ceremonies during which they fed themselves limes to prevent conception. A much reliable way used during ancient times was continuous breastfeeding that can prevent ovulation until the child turns three years old. When talking about abstinence, some women in
time.
Another known method of birth control would be the use of oral
contraceptives. These were already available 4,000 years ago, and some women in ancient China drank mercury just to prevent pregnancy. After this, women in India used carrot seeds, while an aboriginal group in Eastern Canada drank brewed tea from beaver testicles. These are just a few examples of how women prevent
pregnancy long before birth control pills were invented.
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