I'm childfree by choice and do not regret it at all. I'm also pro-abortion and believe all women should have the right to contraconception and abortion. In this post I'm going to go over herbal contraconception/abortion and how certain problems with modern medicine affect adults.
For thousands of years before the invention of hormonal birth control in the 1960s women used herbs to induce abortion and to stop pregnancy from happening. Honestly, if todays political figures have their way you might be glad you know how to use herbal contraconception. Theres been hundreds of political and fundamentalist group attacks on women's reproductive health in the last few years with abortion becoming increasingly difficult to obtain without intrusive requirements. Women have found ways to control their own reproductive health despite political and patriarchal attacks. The Salem Witch Hunt was partly about eradicating the women herbalists who knew how to stop pregnancy with their herbal remedies by labeling them as "witches" and burning them at the stake.
Please be aware that theres not a lot of research into herbs for abortion and pregnancy prevention. Many of these can be dangerous if taken for too long or after the first trimester. Its important to find out a pregnancy as soon as possible and please do your own research. All links are in orange to other sites that contain good information. None of this is a substitute for professional medical advice or services. It's simply for educational purposes.
Abortion:
- Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)- As well as treating many female problems, Black Cohosh also acts as a uterine stimulant that can be used in abortion.
- Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea) or Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)- The Chinese Dong Quai is the most researched variety of Angelica. Usually taken in tincture or capsule form to stimulate contractions that can cause the uterus to expel it's contents. A possible side affect can be excessive bleeding.
- Cotton Root (Gossypium hirsutum)- The Cotton Root is a hard plant to obtain due to it's industrial use and the chemicals dumped onto it, which make it unsafe for human use in most cases. However, it acts to interfere in progesterone functioning that keeps the fertilized egg from properly implanting in the uterine wall. It was a traditional abortion method used by Native American indians.
- Queen Anne's Lace or Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)- Hippocrates was writing about this member of the Umbelliferae family properties centuries ago when they were being used as contraconception in ancient times. The seeds can disrupt the implantation of the egg by blocking progesterone
So now we know some natural ways to prevent and stop a pregnancy. But what other concerns do the childfree or any adult for that matter have when it comes to alternative and natural medicine? All the same concerns that a kid would have (well mostly)! We should be consuming organic, chemical-free food and water to prevent cancer and other health problems. And we care just as much about the environment so I stay away from factory farm meat and dairy products that are filled with antibiotics, hormones, GMOs, and pesticides. In my own house, I use chemical-free cleaning and personal care products such as castille soap, vinegar, and herbs.
Best of all, we're actually doing the environment a much bigger favor by not putting more people into this world that will take up more resources. The lower the population the less energy used to transport and make products and the less greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere. No, I'm not advocating "depopulation". But a sane, modern approach that educates people in sex and birth control that leads to responsible family planning and even encouraging a childfree lifestyle. Afterall, not everyone is meant to be a parent just as not everyone was meant to be a doctor, writer, or lawyer. The best legacy we can each leave on this Earth is to leave it in better condition than when we came into it. And that means taking responsibility for our decisions and advancing knowledge.