The Importance Of Coitus Interruptus

Soranus still did not list all the contraceptives that were found in the Middle Ages. Others included herbs and complex ideas. One complex idea was that “a woman should carry the heart of a hare as an amulette with her,” to prevent a pregnancy. Some of the herbs that were commonly used as emmenagogues and abortifacients were “beaten wormwood, pennyroyal, century plant, thyme, rue” and others. One of the more common emmenagogues was rue, a perennial herb that grows to three feet tall and has a bluish green flower. Another more common abortifacient was Artemisia which is a species of wormwood. Artemisia was said to “protect from the pangs of childbirth.” It was never stated whether it prevented or terminated a pregnancy.

Today both rue and

Also, if a family were fearful of excessive hardships that have multiple children brought they may choose to use coitus interruptus, these three reasons for using it [coitus interruptus] were not prohibited. While using it for fear of having female children and worrying about arranging a marriage for them and for fear of the pain that would come with birth were corrupt because they went against what the religion believed.

The Muslims’ motives for using coitus interruptus are similar to reasons why Christian women used superstitions and herbs as birth control. Even though the practice of coitus interruptus was done mostly by Muslims, Christians probably used this form of contraception. Pierre J. Payer hinted that coitus interruptus was used by Christians when he discussed the “vice against nature” in his book Sex and the New Medieval Literature of Confession 1150-1300. Coitus interruptus is an example of “emitting semen in a place or vessel designed for that