Birth Control Used To Be Utterly Terrifying

Abstinence was so the sexiest way to not have children until the 20th century, as Newsweek’s terrifying illustrated history of birth control shows. Look at this scary contraption that went inside of ladyparts around the time Lysol douches were popular…

They’re an early precursor of the IUD, called a stem pessary. And yes, they were as dangerous as they look. Condoms seem, like, cuddly by comparison. See more of the horrible evolution of anti-pregnancy technology at Newsweek, just be warned you might instinctively clutch your own private parts in fear: [Newsweek]