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Pros and cons of birth control in society
History of contraceptions
Contraceptives in the 60s
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The History of Birth Control and Society People have been desperate to control how many children they have and abstinence is not really an option adults want to choose. Some ancient forms of birth control include: animal skins and intestines for condoms, lemons as barriers to protect from pregnancy, poisonous cocktails to cause abortion, and animal dung cocktails as spermicides. When those measures failed, women turned to abortions. (Rengal intro ix) Humankind has been trying to have sex without pregnancy since ancient times. Birth control methods have been around for centuries, the types and safety have varied over the years. The women's right revolution was a vital part in developing safe methods. Even though some people still think birth control is wrong, there are many benefits to controlling our population. Each individual family needs to make their own choices based on research and education; birth control can be seen as a very positive way to avoid abortion. Education is the key to keeping abortions and emotional trauma caused by unwanted pregnancies to a minimum. I have gained a sincere appreciation for all that modern women take for granted, including the women’s movement, all the trial and error of our ancient ancestors and all the dangerous ways women of our past have tried to prevent pregnancy. I am thankful that it is easy to decide when and how many children; a woman will have today. Ancient Methods Historical records are not always easy to find, since this is a personal topic and no physical proof would be left behind. “Our oldest records indicate that the practice of inducing abortions was used throughout the ancient world.”(Salisbury 1) ”Ancient Egyptian papyrus dating from 1550 B.C. recommend inser... ... middle of paper ... ...void pregnancy but other options range from 75%-99.9%. If a couple were to combine, barrier options with hormonal options that would be as close to 100% protections as possible without giving up intercourse. Works Cited Gunstream, Stanley E. Anatomy & Physiology: with integrated study guide. New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 2010. 370-373. Print. Rengel, Marian. Encyclopedia of Birth Control. Phoenix, AZ: Orxy Press, 2000. Print. Salisbury, Joyce. Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World. Santa Barbara, Ca: ABC CLIO, 2001. Print. Schrager, Sarina M.D., Sarah Hoffmann BS. “Women’s Knowledge of Commonly Used Contraceptive Methods”. Wisconsin Medical Journal. 107.7(2008): 327. Print. Tone, Andrea. “Making Room for Rubbers: Gender, Technology, and Birth Control before the Pill.” History & Technology. 18.1(2002): 51. History Reference Center. Web. 8 Nov 2009.
Roe V. Wade is known as the case that went to Supreme Court and eventually got abortion legalized. An abortion is defined as the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end or terminate a pregnancy. Thousands of years ago abortion was accepted. In ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt herbs were used to induce the labor prematurely. (The American Bar Association 210) Similar methods are still used today. There are many countries where abortion is illegal. In these places the option is herbal abortions. These are less effective but sometimes it is the only option for women who need to end their pregnancies. Although the method is natural it is probably the most ineffective. Women who undergo this natural method also can
During the nineteenth century, white women feminist were demanding access to birth control, they wanted to be in control of their reproduction. In this birth control movement, it lacked the participation of women of colored. There was assumption on why women of color didn’t participate: women of color were fighting against racism or weren’t aware of sexism. In reality, women of colored couldn’t associate themselves to the cause because they exhibit sterilization abuse. In the birth control movement, white women were fighting for abortion right, they were fighting for them to have the decision to either keep or abort a child. While, women of color were forced into sterilization without consent. Women of color didn’t support the “Pro-Choice”
The fact that the only physician to support contraceptives was a woman speaks volumes about the disconnect between the male and female perspective on the issue. It begs the question: Can a man objectively weigh in on this issue? Since inarguably both the physical sacrifice and emotional burden of carrying to term and caring for an unwanted child lay solely on the
When legally introduced to society in 1960, the Pill stirred up a long period of controversy. The availability of the Pill had great impact on women’s health, social life, laws, religion, family, relationships, morality and sexuality. Initially conceived to be highly effective and safe, the Pill left many women with side effects – few which led to several fatalities. Before the Pill was created, many women postponed sex due to the social norm and fear of becoming pregnant before marriage. Families grew large and it was typical for a woman to have multiple children caused by the lack of birth control. Due to regulations, such as the Comstock laws, many people supported the prohibition of the Pill and other family planning practices. However, many women believed in the right to control their own body when it came to procreation. Despite the controversies, the Pill left lasting impacts, such as by opening society to the sexual revolution and...
A thin, stretchy sheath about two inches in diameter and six to eight inches long, designed to be worn over penis during sex. Condoms form a physical barrier between penis and the vagina. After ejaculation the tip of the condom holds the semen and prevents it from traveling to woman's reproductive system to fertilize the egg.
For centuries women have tried many means to prevent pregnancy. As far back as the
In this mind baffling speech by Margaret Sanger, she explains the importance of attaining birth control as a female. She believes that “birth control should be available to every adult man and woman” (The Morality of Birth Control). In her opinion, every person over 18 should at least obtain knowledge of it, and try to practice it as much as possible. “Not only will birth control reduce the rate of disease and famine, it will also help heighten the standards of civilization towards teen pregnancy and child abortion” (Population Growth and Resource Depletion). Only then will people attain real morality.
Birth Control has always been a topic of controversy in America, generating large opposition and actions to regulate it. The regulation of any form of birth control was made final with the Comstock Act being passed in 1873 that was a, “federal law that made it a crime to sell or distribute materials that could be used for contraception or abortion”. This act created by and enacted by Anthony Comstock, caused a long and troubling path for feminists attempting to break the patriarchal society and gain the freedom to control their own bodies and choices. The virdict was supported throughout the years and by the 1950s many opinions of religious people, political persons, and most men who accepted traditional gender roles continued on the path of
Although birth control has been practiced since ancient times, the first organized efforts developed during the 19th century as population increased dramatically because of improved medical care, nutrition, and sanitation. However, birth control met with resistance. In 1873 the United States Congress enacted the Comstock Law, which prohibited the distribution of birth-control devices and information.
The Morality of Birth control originally surfaced as a pamphlet in 1918, which questioned the morality of denying knowledge surrounding a drug which could prevent pregnancy women. In 1913 Margaret Sanger worked as a nurse in a New York. There Sanger watched one woman fall ill from a household abortion. The doctor told this women to avoid pregnancy she should “have her husband sleep on the roof” (Richmond Edu, Par. 7). A few months later Sanger found the same women dead after a second self-inflicted abortion. This horrendous event pushed Sanger to advocate a right she believed all woman should have.
These options include the patch, the ring, and the shot. The shot, of the hormone progestin, is applied in the arm or buttock every 12 weeks to, prevent release of egg or, prevent fertilized egg from implanting in uterus. A thin plastic patch placed on the skin of the buttocks, stomach, upper outer arm, or upper torso once a week for three weeks in a row. The ring is a small, flexible hoop inserted deep into the vagina for three weeks in a row and taken out the fourth week. The Ring protects against pregnancy by releasing estrogen and progestin.
planned and have to be prepared. 49% of the pregnancies in America are from women getting
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by destruction of a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus before birth, prior to the time when the fetus attains viability, or capacity for life outside the uterus (Encyclopedia, 1995, p.43). Currently almost twenty-five percent of pregnancies in the United States are aborted. About one forth of people who abort are teenagers, fifty-seven percent are younger than 25, and almost eighty percent are unmarried. During the first trimester is when most of the abortions take place. Only about ten percent are performed later in the pregnancy (Slife, 1998, p.329). Abortions go back as far as Ancient Greece where it was used as a type of population control. Then in the Roman Times men had total control over the procedure. “Man could give law-enforced command that his wife have an abortion, or he could punish or divorce his wife for having one without his consent” (Encyclopedia, 1995, p.43).
Abortion has been a method since at least ancient history. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. There are multiple ways a woman can have an abortion, however the one most commonly used is the suction abortion. The suction dismembers the baby while sucking their body parts through a tube. I feel strongly that abortion should be illegal because it can result in medical complications, psychological trauma, the fetus can feel pain, and abortion is murder.
Abortions can be traced back to ancient times; some were done by using sharp objects as tools, applying pressure on the lower abdomen, the use of herbs as medicine, and, beatings focusing