An Accurate History of Birth Control: How Long Have Humans Used It?

From crocodile dung mixtures to the birth control pill, here's a look at how people prevented pregnancy through the ages.

By Sara Novak
Jul 25, 2023 1:45 PMJul 25, 2023 1:40 PM
Victorian postcard
(Credit: Artist not credited/PD-US/Wikimedia Commons)

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This article was originally published on Aug. 23, 2022.

For nearly as long as we’ve been having sex, we’ve been attempting to control reproduction. After all, there’s more than one reason why humans like to get it on.

We’ve put countless potions into our bodies in an effort to prevent pregnancy — some innocently ineffective and others dangerous or even deadly. Through the ages, birth control has certainly changed. But the reasons behind it remain much the same.

The Ancient History of Birth Control

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