Sexual Revolution and Methods of Contraception Essay -- Sex Protection

Sexual Revolution and Methods of Contraception Birth Control and Contraceptives The sexual revolution introduced a whole new idea of controlled births and the use of different forms of birth control. Contraceptives have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but the sexual revolution introduced a whole new form and more efficient way to prevent conception of a child. The use of contraceptives helped control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, lowered the percentage of illegitimate children, and reduced the risk of pregnancy. Even as early as the times of the ancient Greeks, people could tell the difference between abortifacients and contraceptives. During this era, things such as linen condoms, dried fish powder, and seasponges were used as forms of birth control. However, due to the use of technology and science, it has been discovered that some of the old forms of birth control can be considered deadly. Birth control has evolved through time in forms pessaries, plants, intrauterine devices, condoms, birth control pills, barriers, t he ring, and other unusual forms of birth control. Pessaries: Pessaries are vaginal suppositories. Used since ancient times, pessaries are still considered a fairly effective form of birth control. In ancient times, pessaries contained acacia gum which has evolved to spermicide now. One example, dating all the way back to 1850 BC, called the Kahun Papyrus, refers to a pessary of crocodile dung and fermented dough. Today, pessaries usually come in the typical waxy form of suppositories which contain spermicide like nonoxynol-9. The spermicide kills all the sperm so therefore, the egg is unable to be fertilized by the sperm and pregnancy does not occur. ... ...hrough time, birth control has affected society as a whole and changed the lives of the people living in the society of today. The evolution of birth control and contraceptives altered and changed tremendously during the years since the beginning of time. Works Cited - Landeck-Riker, Jennifer. "Ann Rose’s Ultimate Birth Control Links Page." 10 Nov.1997. http://gynpages.com/ultimate/ - McCleskey, Kim. "The History of Contraceptives." 1996. http://rtt.colorado.edu/~mcck/Home.html (This was an excellent source and gives great information about the history of contraceptives.) - Noble, Robert. "There Is No Safe Sex." Newsweek ( April 1, 1991). - Petrick, William. "The Hall Of Contraception." 27 March 1996. http://desires.com/1.6/Sex/Museum/ ( This is where I got all my pictures to illustrate this page.)