Six interesting facts about contraceptives
Modern methods of contraception have come a long long way! Records have shown that contraception use dates as far back as 3000BC, but the 20th century saw expanded research that got us the methods we know today.
Here are some facts you may find quite interesting:
First record of contraception
The first record of contraception dates back to an Egyptian manuscript written in 1550 B.C. The Ebers Papyrus, a compilation of Egyptian medical texts, showed Egyptian women how to prevent conception using various methods.
First record of condom use
The first record of a condom dates all the way back to ancient Greece 3000 B.C by King Minos of Crete. His wife used a goat’s bladder sheath as protection. Whether this was a male or female condom is still up for debate until today.
First modern condom
We have the hardening (vulcanization) of rubber to thank for the ‘modern day’ condom. The first rubber condom was produced in 1855.
The first latex condom was produced in the 1920s and the first lubricated condom was produced in 1957.
First oral contraceptive
The contraceptive pill was developed from the roots of wild yam plants in the 1950s.
The first oral contraceptive was approved in the USA in 1960.
First IUD was a ring
The first IUD, developed in 1909 by the German physician Richard Richter, was a ring made of silkworm gut.
Popular method in Kenya
The most popular method of contraception in Kenya is the injectable, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022.
