Historical Demand For And Prevalence Of Birth Control

This essay will examine the historical demand for and prevalence of birth control in the United States. The history of birth control in the U.S. begins long before the infamous 1973 Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision affirming the legality of abortion. Before examining birth control, it’s important to first dispel the myth that birth control and particularly abortion is only sought by modern, unmarried women who are more promiscuous than women in earlier ages. America was never abstinent. It’s a myth that more teens and young adults have sex now than in previous generations. With poorer health and nutrition than in modern times, fewer teenage girls were developed enough to become pregnant in the past. In 1870, only slightly more than one†¦show more content†¦This study must be considered with hesitation due to the small sample size, as well as the reality that certain generations and age groups may be more inclined to lie about having had sex or not than others. Around the same period, sex with prostitutes declined over 50 percent between 1900 and 1910. Due to the first sexual revolution of the twentieth century, young men were more likely to have their first sexual encounter with a girlfriend rather than a prostitute. This increased the need for the general population to have knowledge of and access to birth control methods. Margaret Sanger claimed in 1914 that upper-middle-class women, promiscuous girls, and prostitutes rarely become pregnant because they know how to prevent conception. However, lower middle-class women lack knowledge of birth control methods and it was cheaper to give birth than have an abortion even if they knew that they would be financially unable to care for the new child. During this time, sex manuals expanded couples’ knowledge of sexual techniques and greater access to birth control allowed couples to explore their sexuality further. After the Civil War, the United States adopted a laisse-faire or deregulated approach to businesses, but compounded regulations on women. For example, Social Darwinist William Graham Summer opposed regulating commerce, but advocated for state intervention to save male property and the honor of women whichShow MoreRelatedHealthcare in South Africa3476 Words   |  14 Pagesto other countries and their respective health systems, provides a thorough picture as to the successes and shortcomings of a nation’s healthcare system. South Africa has fallen well short of both regional and global averages with respect to the prevalence and burden of infectious diseases, particularly HIV and tuberculosis. Like the United States, South Africa is undergoing reform of its healthcare system with policy changes intended to create universal health insurance and access to care. 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