3 - Thehistory of contraception

Summary

There is evidence of contraception from the land of the pharaohs. Mantras were believed to produce sterility in both men and women, just like prayers of intercession in the Christian Church in Europe. A major change in approaches to contraception came about as an accidental result of venereal disease. From the mid-nineteenth century, the arrival of rubber meant the first condoms were produced of the new material. Sexual health became an important part of consideration for companies producing contraceptives and suddenly condoms could be bought in most places in the world from open shelves in chemists and supermarkets, sold in brightly coloured packets. The invention of a female condom has also enabled a woman to make yet another form of choice if she wished to prevent both pregnancy and disease. Vasectomy and sterilization operations are available and accessible across the globe.