Before the invention of modern condoms, people used a variety of contraception methods ranging from superstitions to primitive physical barriers and behavioral strategies.
Superstitions played a significant role in ancient contraception. For example, a Greek gynecologist advised women who wished to avoid pregnancy to jump backwards seven times after intercourse. Ancient Romans used bizarre practices like tying a pouch with a cat’s liver to their left foot or spitting into a frog’s mouth, hoping to prevent conception.
Physical barrier methods existed long before vulcanized rubber condoms. Women used unconventional barriers such as pebbles—used by Arabs to prevent pregnancy in camels—half a lemon, or dried elephant and crocodile dung. Around 1550 BCE, a mixture of honey, ground dates, and acacia tree bark offered some contraceptive effect due to the natural lactic acid from fermented acacia, which altered vaginal pH. Indigenous tribes in eastern Canada drank tea brewed from beaver testicles, believing it prevented pregnancy. In ancient Libya, the plant silphium served as a highly effective early morning-after contraceptive until extinction around the second century.
Early male contraceptives included sheaths made from animal intestines or fabric. These sheaths date back to at least 1000 BCE. Romans and 17th-century British used animal intestines, while Egyptians and Italians favored fabric dipped in spermicidal solutions. Historical records show eighteenth-century sheep-gut condoms were produced and used, revealing continuity in barrier practices long before modern rubber condoms.
Behavioral contraceptive methods gained prevalence during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Simon Szreter highlights that common strategies included marrying later, reducing sexual frequency, and coitus interruptus (withdrawal). Due to limited availability of reliable mechanical or chemical contraception, such behavioral approaches were necessary for family planning.
Technological contraceptives existed but were often inaccessible. Some devices, labeled “Malthusian devices,” were advertised but considered daunting or expensive. The first birth control clinics emerged in the United States in 1913, marking a social shift towards organized contraception. The birth control pill was introduced later in 1960, revolutionizing available options for preventing pregnancy.
- Ancient contraception combined superstition, rituals, and physical barriers.
- Unusual materials like animal dung, pebbles, and plant-based concoctions served as early contraceptives.
- Early male sheaths made from animal intestines predate modern condoms by millennia.
- Behavioral methods were dominant before widespread reliable contraception.
- Birth control technology and clinics began becoming accessible only in the 20th century.
What sorts of contraception did people use before condoms were invented?
Before modern condoms became the go-to contraceptive, people relied on a fascinating mix of superstition, natural remedies, early physical barriers, and behavior changes to dodge unwanted pregnancies. Contraception was a patchwork of creativity, trial, error, and sometimes hilarious rituals that reflect humanity’s long struggle with family planning.
Ready to dive into the quirky yet surprisingly smart methods our ancestors used? Let’s explore what contraception looked like way before latex and rubber got involved.
1. Superstitions and Rituals – When Magic Was the Method
Before science dominated, people often turned to rituals, hoping the gods or spirits would lend a hand in contraception. For example, the ancient Greeks had an unusual recommendation: women who didn’t want children were advised to jump backward seven times after intercourse. Yes, seven times! Trying to shake off pregnancy literally. Whether it worked? History is silent.
Meanwhile, Ancient Romans pushed superstition further. Some women tied a pouch containing a cat’s liver to their left foot—a sort of bizarre fertility talisman. Others spat into a frog’s mouth. If that doesn’t scream “I’m serious about avoiding babies,” what does?
2. Barrier and Physical Methods — Nature’s Protection Gear
Now onto something a little less weird and a bit more practical. Physical barriers existed before vulcanized rubber made condoms comfy and affordable.
- Women’s barriers: Some cultures literally used what was handy around them. Arabs used pebbles to stop camels’ pregnancies and adapted similar ideas for humans. Others tried half a lemon or, believe it or not, dried elephant or crocodile dung as protective inserts. If texture counting, they were taking ‘all natural’ very seriously.
- Ancient contraceptives with chemistry smarts: Around 1550 BCE, Egyptians mixed honey, ground dates, and acacia bark. Why? Acacia ferments into lactic acid, which messes with vaginal pH—a natural spermicide of sorts. A rudimentary scientific approach, if you ask me.
- Eastern Canadian indigenous wisdom: Some tribes brewed tea with beaver testicles and swore it prevented pregnancy. This one is more herbal mystery than proven fact but illustrates how human cultures experimented with local flora and fauna.
- Extinct morning-after wonder: Silphium, a rare plant from Libyan mountains, was prized as an early morning-after pill. So effective that it was harvested to extinction by the second century. Talk about a contraceptive success story with a sad ending!
3. Early Male Sheaths — The Animal Intestine Era
Long before latex, men used animal intestines or fabrics as condoms. This practice dates back to about 1000 BCE. Think of it as the original “just in case” protection.
Romans and 17th-century Brits favored animal intestines, while Egyptians and Italians preferred fabric, occasionally soaked in a spermicidal solution. Practical and reusable in a pinch, these “sheaths” provided a physical barrier to sperm.
Interestingly, animal intestines were still used in the 18th century as condoms. If you’re curious or need a historical reenactment prop, you can actually find 18th-century sheep-gut condoms for sale online. Vintage, but effective!
4. Behavioral Methods — Playing It Safe with Timing and Technique
Fast forward to the 19th and early 20th centuries, when condoms weren’t widely accessible or affordable. People leaned on behavioral strategies to avoid pregnancy. According to historian Simon Szreter, the favorites were:
- Marrying later to reduce fertile years.
- Having less sex overall.
- Using withdrawal, or the “pulling out” method.
These aren’t the most reliable, obviously. But before modern birth control became mainstream, many were forced to “make do.” Mechanical contraception wasn’t just devices; it often meant doing “something” physical to stop conception.
5. Early Technology and Clinics — The Dawn of Modern Birth Control
While many methods seemed quirky or unreliable, some early technologies did exist. Advertisements from the 19th century for “Malthusian devices” (named after the famous population theorist) show that mechanical contraceptives were marketed — though often intimidating or costly for the average person.
The first birth control clinic in the United States opened in 1913, marking a shift toward organized reproductive health. And the birth control pill wouldn’t arrive until 1960, finally offering an easy, pharmaceutical method to control fertility.
In other words, contraception before condoms was a mix of hope, resourcefulness, and sometimes downright weird attempts. But this long history laid essential groundwork for the reliable, accessible methods we often take for granted today.
So, what can we learn from these pre-condom times? Despite lacking modern science, people got creative. Whether jumping backward like the Greeks, using elephant dung, or ingesting beaver teas, humanity has always sought control over reproduction.
Next time you pick up a rubber condom, spare a thought for those who braved the odd, the ancient, and the frankly bizarre efforts to avoid pregnancy. They remind us that contraception is a deeply human story—full of trial, error, and a willingness to innovate.
Curious about trying some old-school methods? Probably best to stick with modern options. But remembering these ancient approaches offers a humbling glimpse into how far we’ve come.
