The History of Contraception - This episode contains sensitive themes and graphic content linked to medical abuse and reproductive violence.This episode takes a deep dive into the often-overlooked and troubling history of contraception, revealing how scientific progress has frequently been intertwined with human experimentation, racial injustice, and societal control. Join Abby and Jillian as we explore ancient methods, medieval beliefs, and modern developments, highlighting the importance of acknowledging this complex past to inform present and future reproductive rights.

This episode was researched by Leela Mace, presented by Abby Woodman and Jillian Ducker, and edited by Abby Woodman

Key Topics:

• The origins of contraception in ancient Egypt, Greece, China, and Sumatra, including bizarre and toxic methods like crocodile dung pessaries and mercury ingestion.
• The influence of classical ideas about the male and female body, gender misconceptions, and how these shaped early reproductive theories.
• The development of barrier methods such as early condoms made from animal intestines and the infamous Roman advice to hold your breath during sex.
• The evolution of surgical procedures like Caesareans, the grim history of non-consensual experiments on enslaved women, and the role of unethical science in saving lives.
• The rise of modern contraceptives: the pill, IUDs, hormonal injections, and their roots in eugenics, racial targeting, and medical abuse.
• The ongoing legacy of racialized sterilization, reproductive violence against marginalized groups, and the importance of confronting this history.

• Planned Parenthood
• Henrietta Lacks and Medical Ethics
• Nazi Human Experimentation and Eugenics
• Margaret Sanger - Eugenics and Birth Control
• Modern Contraceptive Devices and Development History

99:16 - The gendered bias in contraceptive development and access
110:01 - The current landscape: the debate over male vs. female contraception
113:18 - How hormonal contraceptives work: estrogen and progesterone interactions
120:41 - The politics and societal resistance to contraception and reproductive rights
122:38 - Short-term risks and side effects of hormonal methods
129:56 - The persistent use of hormonal contraception today and societal implications