Birth Control Through the Times Essay -- Contraceptives, Birth Control

The idea of men and women having control of their familial future is nothing new. In fact, the use of contraception dates back to ancient Egyptian times. Despite the controversy that often surrounds the use of birth control, history shows that the need for pregnancy prevention existed even before most modern religions were established. This paper will cover the colorful history of what we now know as birth control, through the centuries and up to modern times. Hopefully, this can give the audience a good idea about how necessary this concept is, and to look at the idea of controlling your destiny with objectivity. Beginning in ancient times, people saw a need to control the amount of children that they may have. One civilization in particular, the ancient Egyptians, had novel approaches to birth control. Drawings found from the time, around 3000 B.C., depicted men wearing condom like devices. This civilization also had what is called a pessary, which is an object or mixture that is inserted into the vagina to block or kill sperm. Some of their mixtures may have included pebbles, crocodile dung, or even rock salt. The Egyptians also used sea sponges drenched in lemon juice; much like a woman today might use a sponge with a spermicidal. The Egyptians weren’t the only ancient civilization to utilize birth control methods; the ancient Greeks used a method of post coital birth control. This method was employed when the couple was done with sexual intercourse, and the woman was to squat and apply pressure to the abdomen to rid the vagina of semen. Yet another approach from within the same ti me period was that of Aristotle, who recommended that women â€Å"anoint that part of the womb in which the seed falls† with olive oil, cedar oil, or f... ...e or not to have children. This is a pattern that will no doubt persist in the future as long as laws allow it. With that said, hopefully some insight can be gained by learning about the history of birth control, and perhaps it can demystify this taboo that no one wants to talk about. Works Cited Clemmitt, Maricia. "Controversies of Women's Access to Birth Control." Women's Health 2006. Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 18 Feb. 2012 Cornblatt, Johanna. "The History of Birth Control." Newsweek - National News, World News, Business, Health, Technology, Entertainment, and More - Newsweek. Newsweek, 2009. Web. 18 Feb. 2012. "Religious Views on Birth Control." Wikipedia. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. http://www.wikipedia.org. Stacey, Dawn. â€Å"What Do Religions Say About Birth Control and Family Planning?† About.Com 2011. www.about.com. Web. 5 March. 2012.