INTRODUCTION

A discussion of fertility is incomplete without a consideration and review of contraception and birth control. Most married couples in the United States and in the other countries of the developed world endeavor to limit their family size and/or to control the timing and spacing of their births. Substantial numbers of unmarried, sexually active women and men also attempt to prevent pregnancy. In the developing countries of the world, slightly fewer married people use birth prevention methods than in developed countries.

There are a variety of methods available to women and men to prevent births. The most popular ones worldwide are contraception, sterilization, and abortion. Some methods are more effective than others, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. This chapter presents, first, a brief historical review of fertility control. Although fertility-control methods have been widely used and publicly accepted mainly in the last five decades or so, attempts to control fertility have characterized human populations for centuries. This review is followed by a description of the general situation worldwide and in the United States regarding the use of contraception, sterilization, and abortion. The main part of the chapter is a description of the major methods of birth prevention, including a discussion of their effectiveness.

BRIEF HISTORY OF FERTILITY CONTROL

The idea or notion of preventing births appeared early in human history. Of the many excellent and comprehensive accounts of contraception available today, three deserve our attention.