Customer Reviews (2)

Parting the Gilded Curtain
We are so dazzled by the gilded Victorian that we often refuse to look at the evidence of ordinary human needs and desires in the 19th century.Ms Brodie examines 100 years of attitudes and practices regarding an importantaspect of marital reality -- the need to limit family size.The result isa fascinating examination of a topic that is usually ignored and oftenconsidered either non-existent or unimportant. Ms Brodie's energeticpresentation is both analytical and scholarly with conclusions carefullysupported by contemporary documentation.She also adds delightful textualflavor and dimension by threading excerpts from diaries and lettersthroughout her narrative.

The examination of Mary Pierce Poor's diary isillustrative.This unusual journal carefully records menstrual cycles andsexual contacts with Mary's husband Henry Varnum Poor from 1845 to 1868. When considering sexual abstinence as a birth control method, Ms. Brodiesees little evidence of this practice in the marital lives of the Poors,but does think that in 1851 they tried a physical separation for the summerto prevent conception.She quotes from Mary's diary to prove that this wasnot a happy solution."I do not like to be long separated from you. We are happiest together, do not let us try absence again.I want to bewith you, wherever you are, the rest of the summer, the rest of mylife."Obviously, Mary enjoyed her conjugal pleasures, even if shewas continuously worried about another pregnancy.

Overall this book isa extraordinary peak into the marital mores and realities of the Victorianperiod.It leaves no doubt that our ancestors grappled with the issues offamily limitation and sexuality as rigorously as we do today.Terrificread.Great reference.Wonderful information.

This is good, though a bit dry
This is certainly an interesting read, though leans a little more toward the empirical than I would like.I would like for there to be more "guts" in this: for example, WHAT did couples use forcontraception at this time, rather than how many people were practicingsome form of contraception.It is interesting, but leaves me wanting toknow more than was covered in here. ... Read more

Product Description
As Americans rethought sex in the twentieth century, the Catholic Church's teachings on the divisive issue of contraception in marriage were in many ways central. In a fascinating history, Leslie Woodcock Tentler traces changing attitudes: from the late nineteenth century, when religious leaders of every variety were largely united in their opposition to contraception; to the 1920s, when distillations of Freud and the works of family planning reformers like Margaret Sanger began to reach a popular audience; to the Depression years, during which even conservative Protestant denominations quietly dropped prohibitions against marital birth control.

Catholics and Contraception carefully examines the intimate dilemmas of pastoral counseling in matters of sexual conduct. Tentler makes it clear that uneasy negotiations were always necessary between clerical and lay authority. As the Catholic Church found itself isolated in its strictures against contraception--and the object of damaging rhetoric in the public debate over legal birth control--support of the Church's teachings on contraception became a mark of Catholic identity, for better and for worse. Tentler draws on evidence from pastoral literature, sermons, lay writings, private correspondence, and interviews with fifty-six priests ordained between 1938 and 1968, concluding, "the recent history of American Catholicism . . . can only be understood by taking birth control into account." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

My Review
I purchased this book for my son who is a Theology Teacher in another state. The book arrived in less than a week. He phoned me when it arrived and said it was in very good condition.

"Catholics and Contraception" (Some Clues as to Why Catholic Teaching Gets Misconstrued)
While browsing through a college bookstore, I recently came across Catholic University of America (CUA) Professor Leslie Woodcock Tentler's "Catholics and Contraception: An American History" (Cornell University Press, 2004) - one of fourteen books from Notre Dame's Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism.In 335 pages covering 125 years, Tentler offers little evidence of appreciating modern methods of Natural Family Planning or Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body.She envisions NFP as repackaged "rhythm" and those who embrace it as likely to be unable to explain its theological rationale, as well as likely to abandon it with experience.Be that said, she does offer some thought-provoking history.

A "cafeteria" mindset is often noted to exist among misguided Catholics.Some have gotten the notion that the Church offers teaching on the sanctity of human life and marriage for "conservatives," while she alternately offers teaching on social concerns for "liberals."Authentic, seamless connections between teachings on the sanctity of human life, marriage and family, and social issues get lost.While no history of "Catholic Social Teaching" would be complete without an extensive discussion of Msgr. John A. Ryan, Ph.D, Msgr. Ryan kept Church teachings on human life, marriage and family, and social issues very much intact.

As director of the social justice department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference (now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) and as a CUA professor, Ryan was the face of Catholic Social Teaching in the first part of the 20th century in the United States.Long before Humanae Vitae discussed the anti-family agendas of those promoting contraceptives, Ryan took on Planned Parenthood founder and eugenics pioneer Margaret Sanger.He recognized that promotion of contraceptives served as an accomplice to selfishness among some wealthy and powerful of this country, who would accept workers' sweat but not their families.To borrow a phrase from Father Cox of 1930s radio fame, Msgr. Ryan fought for wealth control AGAINST birth control.Ryan argued for just family wages, which would allow a worker to properly support his family.While Tentler makes Ryan's passionate fight against contraceptives crystal clear, others seem to whitewash that part of his legacy.

For various reasons, Ryan's forthrightness about contraceptives was often the exception.Tentler tells us that the earliest part of the 20th century was not characterized by regular preaching about contraception from any pulpits.Among non-Catholic clergy, adherents were even quietly gathering to contraceptive promoters.Yet, no Protestant denomination formally supported contraception until the Anglicans in 1930.Tentler sees Pope Pius XI's encyclical of that year as a counterattack to the Anglican position and a call to arms for more proactive promotion of Church teaching.While Tentler might have us believe "Casti Connubii" to be a simplistic prohibition against contraception, it is a profound and beautiful treatise on marriage.Proclaiming marriage's dignity and sanctity, Pius XI shows deep affection and paternal concern that people not be led astray.Preventing such, he calls the "sacred trust" of priests and bishops.

While the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s saw a growing promotion and acceptance of authentic teaching on marriage and marital relations, hints of dissent became ever more present - starting in the late 1950s.Instead of embracing their "sacred trust," more and more priests and bishops seemed to be signaling - often through thundering silence -that a change in teaching was on the horizon.For a number of years, CUA even kept Father Charles Curran - who openly advocated such change - aboard its faculty.It was into a festering chasm of chaos and confusion that Pope Paul VI presented "Humane Vitae."Rather than a Holy spirit inspired and prophetic document, Tentler intimates this encyclical to be the product of minority voices who successfully coerced Paul VI.Yet, she provides an insightful quote about its reception: "'A peculiar, implicit gentleman's agreement has developed between clergy and hierarchy in which the hierarchy commits itself not to try to seriously enforce compliance with Humanae Vitae so long as the clergy is not too open and public in its opposition to the encyclical,' Andrew Greeley asserted in 1972" (p. 263).While no promoter of Humanae Vitae, Tentler acknowledges that this silent treatment has had a devastating impact: "The result was a church where sexual ethics were seldom discussed, despite rapid change in the cultural values.... Divorce rates rose, even among regular churchgoers, as did the practice of premarital cohabitation.Birth and marriage rates declined....Many Catholics...were newly tolerant of abortion" (pp. 276, 277).

The post Humane Vitae silence has continued for a generation and a half.Some Catholics nearing menopause may have never even encountered the clergy's "sacred trust."If we truly love our clergy, don't those of us who embrace the Theology of the Body and NFP bear responsibility to remind them that Pius XI's words were never abrogated? "If any confessor or pastor of souls, which may God forbid, lead the faithful entrusted to him into these errors or should at least confirm them by approval or by guilty silence, let him be mindful of the fact that he must render a strict account to God, the Supreme Judge, for the betrayal of his sacred trust" ... Read more

Product Description
In Contraception and Abortion from the Ancient World to the Renaissance, John Riddle showed, through extraordinary scholarly sleuthing, that women from ancient Egyptian times to the fifteenth century had relied on an extensive pharmacopoeia of herbal abortifacients and contraceptives to regulate fertility. In Eve's Herbs, Riddle explores a new question: If women once had access to effective means of birth control, why was this knowledge lost to them in modern times? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

It's good, but not...
If you are looking for do-it-yourself abortion information like I was, this is not a good book for that. It is a history book. It's good, but not an abortionary (abortion dictionary).

A work of history which also excels as an herbal
As a person who enjoys the study of social history (how people lived) and herbal medicine, this book exceeded my expectations on both counts.

Riddle is an historian, so the scholarship in the book is historical scholarship. He moves deftly between conflicting theories of demographics and actual family sizes, at home with his contemporaries and able to argue his somewhat novel opinion on a level playing field. Not surprisingly, historians tend to go along with modern medical thought that there were no effective systems of personal or professional health care prior to our own allopathic tradition in the past few centuries. Herbalists, homeopaths and the like are still fighting for legitimacy against exactly this mindset.

What surprised and delighted me was the thoroughness of Riddle's information on the herbs in question. It must be noted that he does NOT provide recipes for readers to use at home. He isn't playing (herbal) doctor. Regardless, a person with some experience in herbalism or access to alternate texts can easily take the list of herbs from this book and find appropriate dosage and other how to information from that other source--including the important caveat that herbs are not always safe and shouldn't be taken without professional advice or lots of research. Riddle's emphasis is on pointing out which plants have been indicated, by whom in the ancient world, and what science has (or has not) done to test for actual efficacy.

One interesting side note for readers who allow for the possible effectiveness of today's most revolutionary complementary medicine modalities is Riddle's reporting of the fact that, historically, chants (magic) were often listed together with the herbs (medicine) in any given herbal recipe. Riddle is careful and respectful of the potential for narrow-mindedness when he admits that, to our Western minds, there can be no believing in the usefulness of the magic side of the equation, but he makes no disparaging remarks and he allows for future scientific work to prove said "magic" effective. Of course, to a modern practitioner of Reiki or any other mental/spiritual healing system, it is certainly possible to suppose the intent of the healer and/or patient was a necessary or beneficent part of the ancient cures.

I expected to enjoy this book's subject matter, but I was actually delighted by how well Mr. Riddle covered both aspects of the topic, and even more so by the easy readability of his style. Any person who enjoys reading well-written history for pleasure will find this a work worth spending some time with.

awesome
The best book out there thus far on herbal contraception and abortion.

Brave scholarship upon the "secret knowledge" of women.
An outstanding work of scholarship.Riddle has gathered buried historical evidence of reproductive control through the ages. A must read for those who feel that we live in the most "enlightened" age, in regards to reproduction. Riddle will prove you wrong.Women have been in control of their reproduction for centuries. Readily available herbs have been more effective than "modern science" throughout society. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive guide with its conversational, first-person style, anecdotes from real-life couples, and solid medical information equips Christian couples to make fully informed decisions about the complex and deeply personal questions of contraception. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Resource
This book gives the Christian reader unbiased, detailed information regarding the types of birth control available and how these various methods work.I have never had a doctor or nurse give me this kind of detail regarding forms of birth control and I doubt you have either.But this book, written in a non-judgemental tone, will give you the information you need to make an educated decision regarding birthcontrol, while encouraging you to prayerfully seek the will of the Lord considering you and your spouse in this matter.

Excellent Resource for engaged and married couples!!
This book offers sound medical advice while encouraging you to seek God's Will.If only we could find OB/GYNs out there that offered the same thing.Too many people blindly accept hormonal birth control without realizing the risks and ethical issues surrounding it. This book really explains the risks without making you feel "dirty" for using them.It leaves the choice up to the reader.But given the evidence, I am not sure any Pro-Life Christian could blindly accept "the pill" from their doctor again.

I have read many books on family planning in the Christian marriage.Most of them say to keep having as many babies as possible.The authors do an excellent job in explaining that some couples are called to be parents of 8 children, while quite frankly, some are not.

After having four children in five years, I am ready for a break. This book helped me to realize that God did intend intimacy in marriage to be "recreational" at times and not always procreative.While we do still intend on having more children, the authors gave us sound scriptural references to back up our decision to wait awhile.We aren't sinning by using contraception.What a relief!

Many thanks to the authors for this excellent resource.I am passing it on to my husband's brother and his fiancee.I hope they can get as much out of it as we did!

Highly recommended!
The Contraception Guidebook, written by William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn is an outstanding resource of information for young married couples as they begin their lives together as a family. In addition, it would be an invaluable tool for others who are in a position to offer counsel on the subject of contraception. I especially appreciated the procedural/medical information as it relates to spiritual, ethical, emotional, and relational issues. Cutrer and Glahn write, "In this work we will reason from Scriptures as often and as carefully as we can, but where the Bible is silent, we'll acknowledge that silence."
Each section of the book has questions that can either be answered or worked through while a couple is reading together or tossed independently in their thoughts and then brought to the table for comparison and discussion. I loved the anecdote noted from some of Dr. Cutrer's counseling sessions with engaged couples regarding expectations. The couple sitting back to back is instructed to hold up fingers representing the number of children they hope to have during their marriage. I can imagine some of the surprised (and perhaps horrified) looks when the numbers were revealed!
This writing is easy to read and written in a relaxing, yet professional style. Scriptural references, as well as, medical data are used richly for support and for further self-study. There is a complete glossary included to help with the medical terms that are necessary to the reading.
As I read the book I thought, I wish I had information like this available to me twenty-five years ago! As a young wife in 1978 I asked my then OB/GYN about birth-control, without discussion he wrote me a Rx for a year's supply of once a day pills. I think the information supplied in this book could not only help a couple make good choices as they consider the many options of contraception but is certain to strengthen their bond to one another.
... Read more

Product Description
Contraception is not an invention of modern times, nor is it a purely personal matter. Social institutions such as the church and the state have exerted their influence as effectively as doctors, population theorists, and the early pioneers of the feminist movement. All of these claim a special expertise in matters of ethics and morality, and so have shaped the discourses on and practices of birth control over the centuries.

In this engaging new book Robert Jütte offers a history of contraception from the Ancient world to the present day. He distinguishes two broad phases: first, a long phase, extending from the Ancient world up to the 18th century, in which birth control was part of a traditional form of sexual knowledge what Jütte calls, following the French social philosopher Michel Foucault, the ars erotica. In the second phase, which began in the 19th century, practices of birth control are increasingly shaped by the emerging models of scientific knowledge, while still retaining some vestiges of the erotic arts.

In addition to the contraceptives we know and use today, from coitus interruptus to the condom and the pill, Jütte considers other methods of birth control as diverse as the use of herbal potions and vaginal pessaries, the castration of young boys and the enforced sterilization of men and women. This comprehensive history of one of the oldest and most widespread of human practices offers a rich and nuanced account of how men and women across the centuries have struggled with the needs both for sexual gratification and for limitation of offspring, while also looking beyond the present to catch a glimpse of how contraception might evolve in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
As the global population continues to grow, family planning is fast becoming one of the most critical issues facing the planet. While many organizations--most prominently the United Nations--are trying to implement policies that will help curb the population explosion, these measures are frequently blocked by those professing conservative religious beliefs. In many of the world's religions there is a restrictive and pro-natalist view on family planning, and this is one legitimate reading of those religious traditions. As the essays in this volume demonstrate, however, this is not the only legitimate or orthodox view. Seeking to counteract the simplistic idea that all religions are completely antagonistic toward family planning, the authors--all scholar-practitioners of the religions about which they write--present alternative interpretations of religions' views about family planning. Arguing for the existence of equally valid traditions that allow contraception and abortion, they seek to escape the confines of oversimplified either/or, pro-choice/pro-life arguments. Instead, they point the way toward a more open discussion of family planning. Dispelling the notion that the world's religions are uniformly conservative on issues of family planning, the authors show that the parameters of orthodoxy are wider and gentler than that, and that the great religious traditions are wiser and more variegated than a simple repetition of the most conservative views would suggest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

HOW WORLD RELIGIONS VIEW BIRTH CONTROL AND ABORTIONS
EDITED BY DANIEL MAGUIRE, THIS BOOK TAKES AN HONEST AND INSIGHTFUL LOOK AT VARIOUS WORLD RELIGIONS AND HOW THEY STAND ON THESE CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECTS. BY ALLOWING EDUCATED AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARS TO SPEAK TO THEIR TRADITIONS AND CONVICTIONS THIS BOOK SHEDS A GREAT DEAL OF LIGHT ON THE VARIETY OF VIEWS AND OPTIONS AVAILABLE FROM THE RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD..IN MY VIEW,MAGUIRE HAS DONE A MASTERFUL JOB OF ASSEMBLING A TRULY BROAD SPECTRUM OF OPINION WHICH SOME WOULD DENY OR IGNORE TO THE DETRIMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, INVESTIGATION, AND REALITY..THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR THOSE WHO TRULY WONDER WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS RELIGION CAN APPROACH SUCH INTIMATE SUBJECTS....A GREAT BOOK TO READ AND DISCUSS...

Sacred rights. The case for contraception and abortion in wo
Daniel C Maguire is professor of Moral Theological Ethics at Marquette University, a Catholic, Jesuit Institution, president of the Religious Consultation on Population, Reproductive Health and Ethics in Milwaukee, WI with a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
With a continuation of the growth of the global population, contraception or family planning and abortion becomes very critical and moral issues that face today's family, no matter where they are living or from what religion they stem. Sometimes the views of professionals, international organizations or agencies will eventually clash with the view of clergy and religious belief.
This book has 12 chapters: a Jewish perspective, Roman Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Islam, Hindu view, Thai Buddhism, practices in Nigeria, American Indian traditions, Chinese considerations during the late Imperial period, Taoist approaches, Jainism with a concluding chapter on reproduction and sexuality in a changing world.
There are about 80 million pregnancies globally each year with about one third unwanted or mistimed. Fifty million end up in abortion with 20 million performed under unsafe conditions and 78,000 women die each year. Not to mention the hundred of thousands with short or long-term disabilities as a result. These fact makes this book very important and efforts by governments and United Nations to decriminalize and make abortions safer should be looked upon positively.
Many of the world religions have a say upon the issue of family planning, but the attitudes and rulings have fluctuated over time. The authors of this book from various part of the world and different religions present alternative interpretations of their various religion's view upon family planning and show a more wide and more open stand than the usual conservative held views that we generally hear.
We found this book important in the continuing debate on abortion and family planning from the viewpoint of religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Each title of "Fast Facts" series is a compact and authoritative guide to a specific medical disease or disorder. They contain practical, dependable information from experts of international standing. They feature the very latest evidence-based medicine to help improve patient care. They are concise, accessible and comprehensively illustrated - key clinical information is readily found. One of the major roles of anyone working in sexual health is that of educator, and many people rely on well-informed healthcare professionals to help them choose the most appropriate method of contraception. This completely revised third edition of "Fast Facts: Contraception", by two new authors of international renown, provides a concise and practical review of all the available contraceptive methods on the market in a highly readable well-illustrated format. Highlights of this comprehensive handbook include: a commonsense approach to the contraception consultation; fully updated information on recently licensed products; and, discussion of the risks, benefits and contraindications for all contraceptive methods."Fast Facts: Contraception" is an invaluable resource that will help healthcare professionals and specialists offer a broader range of contraceptive methods along with appropriate advice on the most suitable options. ... Read more

Product Description
The challenge of reaching teenagers before an unintended pregnancy occurs is particularly pertinent when considering unmarried teenagers from disadvantaged circumstances: while the incidence of teenage pregnancy increases, resources to assist adolescents in both child care and employment are lacking.

This volume presents a thorough and sensitive exploration of the topic of sexually active teenagers and the factors involved in their decisions about contraception, abortion and childbearing. The authors conducted their research among African Americans, aged from 13 to 17, living in poor, urban areas. They describe the teenagers' attitudes about childbearing relative to other goals and perceived attitudes of family and friends; they conclude that pregnancy is seen as a choice based on perceptions of childbearing in the psychosocial context of their lives.

Product Description
This handbook , now going into its fourth edition, is a primer on the assessment, selection, and monitoring of contemporary contraceptive methods for men and women. It includes a 36-page, full-color atlas of photographs of the available oral contraceptive pills, both brand name and generic products. The handbook is geared to busy obstetricians, gynecologists, women s health practitioners, and primary care physicians who desire a concise synopsis and update on the various contraceptive methods. 272 pages with full-color insert. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines and explores the many ways contraception harmsmarriage and personal health, increases abortion, and at the same timegives new credibility to God's wise plan and the wisdom of Churchteachings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great cover led me to buy the book
I'll admit to judging this book (and buying it) based on its cover and I'm glad I did.Dr. DeMarco makes a case against contraception from a health, spiritual, and natural law perspective.

I really enjoyed his many references to popular culture (Back to the Future, The Wizard of Oz, etc.) and I thought the best chapter was the one on the Catholic Church's teachings on contraception.A couple of criticisms though: the misspellings and grammatical errors kind of throw you off when you see them while you're reading.

Also, DeMarco has a tendency of making statements like "It is well established scientifically..." and "There is virtual universal agreement that...", but doesn't provide any supporting evidence.I can see if you were reading the book from a skeptical perspective how those establishing sentences wouldn't be very satisfying.

However, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the case against contraception.

The cover art alone says it all!
Drawing upon a variety of resources, Scripture, and cultural examples Dr. Donald DeMarco presents a solid case for contraception's damaging effects upon individuals, marriages, and society as a whole.His message is notone heard in the popular media of the day.

Philosophical, yet practical,the book demonstrates that knowledge and true love (not contraceptive love)are the cure for the "Culture of Death" in which we findourselves.

Highly recommended! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Psalm 127:3-5
This book is well documented and very thorough.The author has clearly done his research, and knows the subject.The arguements are grounded in scripture and explained clearly.This is as good a defense of God's plan for procreation as you will find.Your questions will be answered, your doubts addressed.The book includes very detailed responses to published comments by some leading thinkers such as John Piper and John MacArthur (siding with the Matthew Henry, Augustine, John Calvin, John Wesley, Martin Luther, CS Lewis, ...)Read this cover to cover, don't skip a page.The Christian Case against Contraception is very compelling.

A Thorough Argument Against Contraception
I am very pleased with the thorough nature of this book. It fills the gap of a modern, scholarly, rigorous argument against the practice of contraception among evangelical Christians. The author has done a wealth of research into this topic, and has well thought-out arguments to support his case. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to seriously consider whether or not contraception is biblical. However, as a warning, it is written at a scholarly level--it reads like a masters thesis or doctoral disertation, making it ideal for pastors or lay people who are wanting to dig deep. ... Read more

Product Description
Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA. Pocket-sized guide offers current guidelines in the management of contraception. Topics covered include pregnancy preplanning, male reproductive health, screening, sexual dysfunction, and counseling. Also addresses spermicides, emergency contraception, combined contraceptives, male and female condoms, and sterilization. Softcover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A touching, sensitive book--will help you be a better person
It takes a special person to do and compile this many nice things!Dr. Hatcher's sensitivity, humor, and candor allow him to understand human nature and connect with people in a way that is becoming a lost art.Thesethoughtful suggestions truly helped me consider the nice things that Ido--and how I would like to do more of them! ... Read more

Product Description
The 2002-2003 Edition, now in its fifth printing!Contains the most up-to-date information on contraceptive theory andpractice Widely used by physicians, nurses and reproductive healthcounselors on a daily basis in their clinical settings.

In this edition you will find:
Continuous use of Oral Contraceptives leading to the questions is menstruation obsolete?
Updated laws on adolescents rights for consent to contraceptives and abortion services
Treatment of sexually transmitted infections derived from 2002 CDC Guidelines
Do birth control pills cause breast cancer?A comprehensive answer to the most commonly ask question about pills.
Mirena, Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (IUS) has non-contraceptive benefits similar to those of combined pills.
The weekly Ortho Evira Patch has generated so much enthusiasm among physicians and nurse practitioners!
The monthly vaginal Nuva Ring is coming to the USA in the summer of 2002.
Website addresses to aid in searching for additional information.
AND MUCH MORE!!!

Includes color pill section of all oral contraceptives. ... Read more

Product Description
A detailed guide to currently available methods of birth control. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Detailed guide to birth control methods currently available
What birth control method is most reliable? Can contraceptives protect me from AIDS? How can I choose the method that's best for me? Finding the answers to these and other questions about birth control can be tough. On the one hand, today's young couples have many contraceptive options. On the other hand, each option has pluses and minuses that must be weighed.

This book is a detailed guide to the methods of birth control currently available, plus a brief review of new methods being developed. Each chapter describes a specific method and provides information to help you choose a contraceptive suited to you and your current situation. Chapters discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each contraceptive, safety concerns, general effectiveness, side effects, costs, and how to obtain and use it.

As you think about the birth control options available to you, remember no single method may be ideal or totally reliable. Furthermore, many contraceptives have some side effects and most require a certain amount of care in their use. To choose the right one for you, be thoughtful about the disadvantages as well as the advantages. If you are comfortable with your birth control choice, you are more likely to use it every time and to stick with it. If possible, the decision about what method to choose should be made with your spouse. As this guide demonstrates, it is much easier to use a contraceptive correctly when both of you are involved.

This guide includes up-to-date information on new products, such as the female condom and the non-latex male condom. Only birth control methods that are currently available or show every promise of being available soon are discussed.

The book also provides details about contraception and its relation to sexually transmitted diseases, with an emphasis on AIDS. Also offered is an expanded discussion of "emergency" contraception, designed for use after unprotected sex. Many of the methods discussed in this guide require a visit to a health practitioner as such at family planning services, independent clinics and hospitals.

Although clearly intended for someone planning to use a contraceptive method, this book is detailed enough to be useful to nurses and youth counselors interested in the subject. Whether you intend to have children or not, every newlywed couple owes it to themselves and their loved ones to read this book.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Azlan is Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London.

INFORMATIVE
What birth control method is most reliable? Can contraceptives protect me from AIDS? How can I choose the method that's best for me? Finding the answers to these and other questions about birth control can be tough. On the one hand, today's young couples have many contraceptive options. On the other hand, each option has pluses and minuses that must be weighed.

This book is a detailed guide to the methods of birth control currently available, plus a brief review of new methods being developed. Each chapter describes a specific method and provides information to help you choose a contraceptive suited to you and your current situation. Chapters discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each contraceptive, safety concerns, general effectiveness, side effects, costs, and how to obtain and use it.

As you think about the birth control options available to you, remember no single method may be ideal or totally reliable. Furthermore, many contraceptives have some side effects and most require a certain amount of care in their use. To choose the right one for you, be thoughtful about the disadvantages as well as the advantages. If you are comfortable with your birth control choice, you are more likely to use it every time and to stick with it. If possible, the decision about what method to choose should be made with your spouse. As this guide demonstrates, it is much easier to use a contraceptive correctly when both of you are involved.

This guide includes up-to-date information on new products, such as the female condom and the non-latex male condom. Only birth control methods that are currently available or show every promise of being available soon are discussed.

The book also provides details about contraception and its relation to sexually transmitted diseases, with an emphasis on AIDS. Also offered is an expanded discussion of "emergency" contraception, designed for use after unprotected sex. Many of the methods discussed in this guide require a visit to a health practitioner as such at family planning services, independent clinics and hospitals.

Although clearly intended for someone planning to use a contraceptive method, this book is detailed enough to be useful to nurses and youth counselors interested in the subject. Whether you intend to have children or not, every newlywed couple owes it to themselves and their loved ones to read this book.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London. ... Read more

Product Description

John Riddle uncovers the obscure history of contraception and abortifacients from ancient Egypt to the seventeenth century with forays into Victorian England--a topic that until now has evaded the pens of able historians.

Riddle's thesis is, quite simply, that the ancient world did indeed possess effective (and safe) contraceptives and abortifacients. The author maintains that this rich body of knowledge about fertility control--widely held in the ancient world--was gradually lost over the course of the Middle Ages, becoming nearly extinct by the early modern period. The reasons for this he suggests, stemmed from changes in the organization of medicine. As university medical training became increasingly important, physicians' ties with folk traditions were broken. The study of birth control methods was just not part of the curriculum.

In an especially telling passage, Riddle reveals how Renaissance humanists were ill equipped to provide accurate translations of ancient texts concerning abortifacients due to their limited experience with women's ailments. Much of the knowledge about contraception belonged to an oral culture--a distinctively female-centered culture. From ancient times until the seventeenth century, women held a monopoly on birthing and the treatment of related matters; information passed from midwife to mother, from mother to daughter. Riddle reflects on the difficulty of finding traces of oral culture and the fact that the little existing evidence is drawn from male writers who knew that culture only from a distance. Nevertheless, through extraordinary scholarly sleuthing, the author pieces together the clues and evaluates the scientific merit of these ancient remedies in language that is easily understood by the general reader. His findings will be useful to anyone interested in learning whether it was possible for premodern people to regulate their reproduction without resorting to the extremities of dangerous surgical abortions, the killing of infants, or the denial of biological urges.

Customer Reviews (5)

Contraception
This book is very clinical and dry, but does provide an accurate depiction of women throughout the ages and their efforts to control nature.

Not the best abortion information
I would not read this if you are looking for abortion information. It is a history book, and it may poison you to use these recipes.

Excellent overview
This is a fine reference book for botanists, pharmacists, academics, writers, and, I suppose, those who want to make the point that abortion and contraception have been around a long, long time.It is clearly written,if a little disorganized, and recipes are given, though the reader is welladvised NOT TO TRY THIS AT HOME.

Excellent!The only comprehensive book on this topic.
John Riddle provides a comprehensive and compelling examination of contraception and abortion through history.An excellent reference, and the only source that shows the historical underpinnings of thecontraceptive and abortive agents we use today.

Fern Reiss(fernreiss@aol.com), author of"The Infertility Diet: Get Pregnantand Prevent Miscarriage"

Fascinating and tantalizing
Looking for information about birth control options is frustrating.This book tantalizes the reader with the possibilities but unfortunately, as the author points out, it is impossible to find real methods without trial anderror, which is not an acceptable risk for most of us!It is fascinatingto learn that birth control was possible even before vulcanized rubber andthe pill, and there are possibilities out there that haven't been touchedby the medical community.This book and its companion (Eve's Herbs) arewell worth reading and I recommend them to anyone interested in not onlyfamily planning of the ancients' but also the history of the westernworld's attitude toward fertility, especially contraception and abortion. Physicians especially could learn a lot from this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

comprehensive and research supported
This book is well organized and addresses any issue pertaining to specific forms of contraception. Further, all claims are referenced with scientific journals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Women's Studies
This strikes me as a book that would and should be read for anybody who is in a women's studies class or is interested in a femanist viewpoint on the Dalkon Shield case and the A.H. Robins Corporation.A lot more is covered than just the Shield and the Corporation which marketed and sold them.This is important for any feminist looking for studies on reproductive freedoms (and for us men who are interested). ... Read more

Product Description
Beginning with a delightful and, at times, humorous, historical overview of birth control practices and essential aspects of human reproductive anatomy, two internationally respected sexologists present clear, factual information on all available birth control options and explore the very latest research and testing on contraceptive techniques being developed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

its nice
its nice, i liked it. because birth control is the coolest thing to take, everyone is doing it! ... Read more

Product Description
If knowledge is power, then the knowledge sources we turn to are critically important. This handbook offers an accessible, reliable source of science-based facts on teen sex, contraception, pregnancy, parenthood, and sexually transmitted infections. The handbook can be used as supplementary material in sex education classes, as a resource left on the coffee table for teenagers to peruse, or as a stimulus for parent-teen discussions about sex and its consequences.

The five chapters include:
Chapter 1: Teen Sex
Puberty and Peers
Sexual Partners
Trends in Teen Sexual Activity: Women
Reasons to be Cautious The Risks of Early Sex
Trends in Teen Sexual Activity: Men
Family Influences
Knowledge and Behavior
Where You Grow Up Makes a Difference
The Transition to Being Sexually Experienced
Everyone s Doing It...Or Are They?
Quiz: Are You a Sexpert?

Chapter 2: Contraceptive Decision Making
Contraceptive Methods: They re Not All Alike
Barriers to Teen Contraceptive Use
Factors that Favor Teen Contraceptive Use
Choosing to Use Contraceptives
Trends in Teen Contraception: Women
Trends in Teen Contraception: Men
Contraceptive Use During First Intercourse
Contraceptive Use at Most Recent Intercourse
Contraceptive Failure
Quiz: Are You a Sexpert?

Chapter 3: Teen Pregnancy
The Scope of Teen Pregnancy in the U.S.
States Where Teen Pregnancy is Most Common
Cities Where Teen Pregnancy is Most Common
The Influence of Legislation
International Comparisons
From Sex to Birth
Yes, I m Pregnant
Quiz: Are You a Sexpert?

Chapter 4: Teen Parenting
Head Count of Babies Born to Teens
Adoption
Abortion
For Whom the Teen Wedding Bells Ring
Parenting Without Marriage
Education
Children of Teen Parents
Fathers: Effects on Teen Dads
Cost to Society
Earning Power
Quiz: Are You a Sexpert?

Chapter 5: Teen Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sex Can Do More Than Get Teens Pregnant: STIs
Common STIs and Their Symptoms
Health Consequences of STIs
Pregnancy Prevention Does Not Always Equal STI Prevention
Preventing STIs
Quiz: Are You a Sexpert? ... Read more