The History of Birth Control

Overpopulation has been a debatable issue since humans have begun to roam the earth. In the essay De Anima, Roman philosopher Tertullian speaks on the blessing of catastrophes that help curb overpopulation (Glaze III 2000). As a result of these "catastrophes", like infant death, birth control received little recognition. In ancient times death rates were high, especially during infancy and childhood. Large numbers of children were needed in order to ensure the survival of the human …

…earth. Over time the list of reasons has grown to include unwanted pregnancies. The reasons for their existence in ancient times are the same reasons that they exist today : overpopulation and unwanted pregnancies. These issues have not just come about, they have plagued society for years as they will continue to. Having more children than one can support may lead to poverty, malnutrition, illness, and high mortality rates for humans as well as the earth.