Pre-Modern Contraceptives In Africa: A Lesson on Creative Solutions

Apr 13, 2025

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How did African families avoid unplanned pregnancies before modern science? In this episode we discuss some practices in certain areas of the continent.Follow us:Twitter (apparently now X): https://twitter.com/Africas_UntoldSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/africasuntoldstories/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFuTYzTqseXvH1RkmxV-1XAOutro music provided by DCQ BEATZ: https://player.beatstars.com/?storeId=97074&trackId=2559403

REFERENCES:• Bansode OM, Sarao MS, Cooper DB. Contraception. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536949/

• Bertrand, Jane T., W. E. Bertrand and Miatudila Malonga. 1983. "The Use of Traditional and Modern Methods of Fertility Control in Kinshasa, Zaire." Population Studies, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Mar., 1983), pp. 129-136.

• Mulaudzi FM, Lebese RT, editors. 2022. Working with indigenous knowledge: Strategies for health professionals [Internet]. Cape Town: AOSIS. doi: 10.4102/aosis.2022.BK296.05. (Specifically drawing from Chapter 5: "Child spacing and prevention of pregnancy among African indigenous people" by Rachel T. Lebese, Tebogo M. Mothiba, Mercy T. Mulaudzi, Ntsieni S. Mashau, and Lufuno Makhado).

• Jinadu, Musa K. and Bade Ajuwon. 1997. "Traditional Fertility Regulation Methods Among the Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria: II. A Prospective Study of UseEffectiveness." African Journal of Reproductive Health / La Revue Africaine de la Santé Reproductive, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Mar., 1997), pp. 65-73.

• Moroole, Molelekwa A, Simeon A Materechera, Wilfred Otang-Mbeng and Adeyemi O Aremu. 2020. "African indigenous contraception: A review." African Journal of Reproductive Health / La Revue Africaine de la Santé Reproductive, Vol. 24, No. 4 (December 2020), pp. 173-184.

• Rossier, Clémentine and Jamaica Corker. 2017. "Contemporary Use of Traditional Contraception in sub-Saharan Africa." Population and Development Review, Vol. 43,

Fertility Transition in sub-Saharan Africa (2017), pp. 192-215