rythmeter

Rhythm Method

Leo J. Latz, a Chicago doctor, became a leading proponent of the Ogino-Knaus approach. He published The Rhythm of Sterility and Fertility in Women (1932), which sold over 200,000 copies by 1942.

 

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Douching and Spermicides

Advertisements used the vague term “Feminine Hygiene” to include everything from hygienic cleansing to birth control. Learn more about early chemical contraception!

caps

Cervical Caps and Diaphragms

While contraceptive devices were readily available in many parts of Europe in the early twentieth century, strict laws, lack of physician involvement, and social mores in the United States meant the devices and literature were scarce. Cervical caps were frequently a mail-order product for “married women.”

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Condoms and Sponges

The rubber vulcanization process was patented by Charles Goodyear in 1844. The first rubber condom was produced in 1855. Learn more about how processes and materials changed over time.