The History of Contraception Unveiled

15.05.2010 | By: A. B.

The history of contraception is a rarely-taught but often-interesting subject. Now's your chance to learn about it.

Today women have a wide selection of contraceptives, but things were entirely different in the past. (PhotoXpress)

The history of contraception: The beginnings

The turning point was the launch of a device for the genitals by F. K. Wilde, a doctor from Berlin, in 1838. However, the product wasn’t very successful because it was slightly awkward to use, and uncomfortable and ineffective. By 1881, his professional colleague took matters into his own hands and published an extensive document where he explained the purpose the device in detail. This was a new and upgraded model which almost closed the cervix and prevented semen from entering the womb. Because he was afraid of negative reactions, Mr. Mensing published his document under a pseudonym, but he later realised that it had been published at the right time and that Germany is sufficiently modern to accept female contraception and the prototype of diaphragm and so the history of contraception begins.

Sticks made of cocoa as protection against pregnancy

Mr. Riedell, a pharmacist from England, invented special sticks made of cocoa and quinine that women had to insert into the vagina just before penetration to prevent pregnancy. Although the sticks actually successfully attached in the vagina, they were ineffective. Irrespective of the above, Riedell indicated a new viewpoint on preventing pregnancy based on chemistry, which was already known to ancient Egyptians, but Riedell was the one who began the chemical chapter of the history of contraception with such research in the modern age. Following his inventions, various doctors, pharmacists and charlatans invented and tested different compounds and witchcraft. Women either had to insert a device into the vagina or apply a cream on the genitals. They used various sticks, creams, grease, fluids and powder with the aim of killing the lively sperm cells. You are right. Contraceptives targeted sperm cells in the late 18th century, which resulted in various infections of the mucosa in women and even permanent damage as a result of poisoning.

The history of contraception: Do as the Romans do

American doctor Charles Knowlton invented a more effective and harmless method, proposing that women rinse their vaginas with a sour fluid or a disinfectant, or even water, immediately after penetration. This procedure was already used much earlier in the history of contraception by ancient Romans, but Knowlton popularized it and thus created a trend. First he argued for rinsing the vagina with chemical substances, but he later realised that mere water can be used because the process only involves the cleansing of semen. This discovery left many charlatans unemployed and the share of infected women decreased dramatically. The only remaining problem was the fact that some women who already got pregnant wanted to have abortion under any circumstances, which meant that they took dangerous drugs to cause miscarriage. Not to mention sharp knitting needles or dirty potatoes that women put into their genitals.

The history of contraception: Overpopulation

Europe was clearly in panic in the early 18th century that too many children would be born. For that reason, everything was done to considerably reduce the number of pregnancies and discover an effective contraceptive method for women as soon as possible. Already in 1821, English philosopher James Mill wrote about the problems they were facing in regard to limiting the number of births. Of course, the situation was entirely different a hundred years later, when the distinction between sexual intercourse and automatic conception was introduced and the history of contraception started changing. Pregnancy was considered to be a decision made by an individual. Children were therefore planned, which meant that the sexual instinct and the instinct to preserve the species were distinguished in a way similar to the one used in the Roman Empire, where people were also afraid of having too many children. Sexual revolution, which France faced in the 1940s, erased the role given to women in terms of bearing children. And the latter also triggered the emancipation of women in sexuality because they could enjoy sex without being afraid of getting pregnant. And then contraceptive pills were invented and the history of contraception reached the era it is in today.