What made you think that your previous generations did not know about contraception methods? Even before birth control pill or condom hit the market, there are various ways people used to prevent pregnancy.
But the methods and substances used could leave you speechless. Even though they were less safe but very effective. Explore them, and maybe you can use the same if you are ashamed of buying pills and condoms from the medical store.
1. Animal Intestine
A few centuries back, Chinese and Japanese men used to put on lamb and other animals' intestine on your reproductory organ so that sperms released could stay within the intestine. Don't you think modern condoms are inspired by it?
2. Crocodile Dung
This is the most ancient method of contraception known. Men used to put a layer of crocodile dung on their reproduction organ so that sperm could not flow out during penetration.
3. Honey Mixture
This is a popular method used by the Egyptians where you mixed honey with a mixture of berries and colocynth. It used to be put inside a vagina, and they believed that the layer formed could prevent pregnancy for three years.
4. Cotton
Cottonseed oil was known for its infertile property. Men and women consumed it in advance before their act in bed. Similarly, raw cotton was made into a thick layer and tied in reproductive organs to soak in the sperms and eggs.
5. Mercury
This has to be the most unscientific method of pregnancy prevention practiced in China. Women used to consume mercury up to a safe limit to make themselves sterile temporarily.
6. Lemon And Acidic Substances
Long before the actual spermicides were invented, lemon juice and other acidic substances were popular as spermicides. Furthermore, lemon and juice were used to create a sponge for men to put on the organ to absorb the semen when released during penetration.
7. Queen Anne's Lace
It is also popular as wild carrot, and it was used as a "morning after" pill as it was believed that it could prevent fertilization if taken within 8 hours of penetration and sperm release.
8. Dong Quai
It is generally used to regulate menstruation, but it is known to have properties to cause uterus contraction and abortion. It was popular as a natural contraceptive among Europeans.
9. Unripe Papaya
It is a very popular method of pregnancy prevention where men used to take papaya seed everyday, and it would bring the sperm count to zero in the long run. But the best part is it is fully reversible when someone stops taking the seeds.
10. Onion Juice
Women preferred to consume onion juice daily as it could make the uterus unfit for fertilization. They would start consuming it a few weeks before and after the penetration.
11. Silphium
It is a popular herb that has been scientifically proved to have contraceptive property. Women consumed it once a month for a year before intercourse. Similarly, it was used as an emergency contraceptive.
12. Common Rue
Women used to drink common rue tea as an emergency contraception method to induce abortion. Some preferred to have it in salads days before that actual act.
13. Juniper Berries
Juniper berries are natural contraceptive that could make the uterus unsuitable for fertilization. Women used to have it before and after the intercourse, and it was a popular practice among Americans.
14. Pennyroyal
Pennyroyal is the smallest mints known, and some of our ancestors believed in its power to prevent pregnancy. Though there is no scientific evidence to prove the same, but women used to take it immediately after having intercourse and continuously take it for a month.
15. Coca-Cola
The carbonic acid in coca-cola was thought to be a contraceptive that could kill sperms. So, women used to apply coca-cola inside their vaginas before and after penetration and a scientific research shown that there are high chances of the method working.
It may feel weird now to know such wild substances and methods used in those days but they were like a boon to a lot of couples who were conscious about family planning!
