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Contraception And Abortion In 19th-Century America By Janet Farrell Brodie

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I read the book, “Contraception and Abortion in 19th-Century America” by Janet Farrell Brodie. She teaches history at Claremont Graduate School and is the Program Coordinator at the Claremont Graduate Humanities Center. Brodie’s choice of interests is in the 19th-20th century American history. During this time, many looked up to her, because of her careful research of contraception and abortion information and the practices in the 19th century. Brodie reached an achievement of modifying our sense of reproduction control. Her main arguments is there is a significant decline in fertility by practicing contraception and abortion. Brodie starts her discussion of the 19th century with the diaries of Mary and Henry Poor a married couple, well-educated …show more content…

In Mosher’s study, women were open about their experiences with birth control. Brodie talks about birth control methods that consisted of coitus interrupts, douching and rhythm. Which was very interesting, because the term “rhythm” has appeared in class sessions. Also, douching was the most common contraceptive method. Most couples relied on a combination of methods as a way to prevent pregnancy. One way was to encourage seeking out and studying advice, to modify their behavior and having awareness of new methods stimulated hopes of control, desire for fertility control reinforced the demand for better …show more content…

Contraceptive devices were methods like a use of a syringe, a conjugal onanism and condoms. Commercial explosion in contraception and abortion was in the last third of the century, than Comstockery came about. Anthony Comstock was a postal inspector and politician dedicated to ideas of Victorian morality. He was determine to silence materials about birth control. As reproductive control became commercialized and women became increasingly able to assert a degree of independence over their fertility through contraception and abortion. Historians studied campaigns against abortion and contraception as separate phenomena’s. The legacy of the campaigns against reproductive control was found in Margaret Sanger. Margaret Sanger was a birth control activist, sex educator, nurse and writer. Doctors and fellow nurses looked to her and told her if she did not stop searching for answers about contraception that she would have conflicted with the Comstock Laws. However, new social and legal polices of Comstockery was the void of Margaret Sanger found once there had been

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