Abortion’s ancient history

SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – The history of abortion goes back so far in world history that it is sometimes called a perennial issue . (The debate for and against it seems to automatically regenerate every few generations.)

But regardless of whether you’re for or against abortion, knowing the ancient history of abortion can help you understand the issue better.

Read on if you dare.

Abortion in ancient China and Egypt

The Chinese were the first people in the world to induce abortion and write about the procedures. That’s how we know that royal concubines in 500-515 B.C. China were given abortions.

More early evidence of abortion in ancient history goes back to Egypt, where we can find proof that abortion was occurring more than 3500 years ago. Ancient Egyptians used herbal drinks, vaginal douches, and suppositories to end pregnancy.

Ancient Egyptians were quite interested in medical science. Think of how they mummified members of royal families and you’ll see that ancient Egyptians had a deep level of understanding about decay and the human body. And according to the ancient Ebers Papyrus , Egyptians also experimented with recipes to help stop acne, remove wrinkles, or cause a pregnant woman to miscarry a fetus.

Another almost 4000 year-old papyrus from ancient Egypt is one of the oldest medical texts in the world. Called the Kahun Gynaecological Papyrus , the ancient knowledge from the Egyptian world is now stored at the University College in London . It refers to the medicines, herbs, and plants that were used for treatments in gynecological conditions. The papyrus also gives recipes that could induce miscarriages, but some of these ancient recipes could be fatal to the pregnant woman, too.

Through historic sources, we know that Egyptians had both oral and topical contraceptives. They also had a belief that miscarriages and irregular births were the work of evil.

Egyptians wore special amulets that were believed to protect women and children by scaring away evil.

Abortion in ancient Greece

Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath Aristotle is known for virtue-based ethics, and his “Potentiality Principle” dabbled into sentience, consciousness, and rationality .

He spoke directly on the subject of abortion thousands of years ago.

“As for the exposure and nurture of infants, let there be a law against nourishing those that are deformed, but if exposing offspring because the number of children one has is prohibited by the customary rule, then a numerical limit must be set upon procreation. But if children are conceived by some of those who have intercourse in violation of this, an abortion must be induced before the onset of sensation and life. For what is holy will be distinguished from what is not by means of sensation and life,” wrote Aristotle.

In modern society, the idea of starving deformed babies to death is appalling. But we have to remember that morals change with every generation. Some of the things that modern humans view as horrific were once considered normal, just as some of the things that modern humans consider to be normal will be viewed as horrific by humans in future generations. The concept is a part of something we call groupthink .

Hippocrates , the namesake of modern medicine’s Hippocratic oath, wrote about Greek medical instruments for administering abortions.

Ancient Greeks did not believe that embryos were alive, therefore there were no human rights issues associated with abortion or birth control . The Greek word for soul translates to “breath” or “life.”

Greeks believed that breathing was necessary for something, or someone, to be considered alive. And in ancient Greek culture, abortion was encouraged for unwanted pregnancies. Midwives performed abortions and delivered babies, too. They were often in charge of reproductive care.

Physicians also prescribed plants like pennyroyal, acacia, hellebore, and squirting cucumber that had contraceptive effects. And women who were trying to not get pregnant typically did so by tracking their menstrual cycles—though this method was ineffective.

Interestingly, after Romans took over Greece they adopted many Greek philosophies, including those about abortion. Those philosophies were then spread throughout the Roman empire to other regions and cultures that Romans ruled.

Abortion condoned in ancient Persia

The ancient Persians believed that a fetus was a person and was, therefore, to be given the same rights as other equal members of society.

Abortion was illegal in the Persian empire.

Both mothers and fathers, plus those who helped conduct the act of abortion, were considered to be murderers. Punishments were given to the mother, the father, and anyone who assisted with the abortion.

Abortion in ancient Rome

Contraception in ancient Roman times was incredibly popular. A plant called laser was used as birth control, specifically the resin of the plant which was called laserpicium. Laser is now referred to as Silphium, and it was harvested to such a degree in ancient Roman times that we no longer have it in this world today.

Silphium was so important to ancient Roman culture that it was printed on Roman coins . It was considered to be worth its weight in silver and was important to the city of Cyrene’s economy.

Women in ancient Rome were responsible for using birth control, and abortion was legal in ancient Rome. Family planning in ancient Roman times was a matter of life or death for many women. Having children without the financial support of a man meant financial and social ruin for a pregnant woman and/or a single mother. And because ancient Roman society did not condemn abortion or contraceptives, women were not stuck in a moral dilemma when they considered their options after discovering pregnancy.

Infertility

Infertility in Greco-Roman times was an important issue, because the cultural tradition at that time was for children and grandchildren to take care of their elders in old age. Not being able to conceive was considered a real problem.

Ancient doctors looked at health, lifestyle, and age when they treated infertility. They prescribed dietary changes, fasting, bathing, medicines, and they were constantly attempting to use medicine to put a “wandering womb” back into its proper position.

In a tradition similar to that of ancient Egyptians, women in ancient Greece who were trying to become pregnant wore amulets made of a blood-colored stone called hematite.

Ancient question: when does life begin?

Ancient Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria (1 ^st century A.D.) believed that fetuses have souls and should be seen as human beings. Ancient Persians believed that fetuses were alive and equal to all other people. And ancient Stoics believed that life began when a baby took its first breath.

So whatever you believe about the beginning of life, whether it is in the moment of conception or at the first breath taken after exiting the womb, know that mankind has been debating this topic for generations.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter .

Latest Posts

• New inflation report could signal rate cut in September
• Man found guilty in 2021 New Orleans axe murder case
• Millions will see cuts to prescription drug costs in 2025
• Trump, Harris zero in on reproductive rights on the campaign trail
• 4 Baja police officers arrested on suspicion of murder

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.