Pregnancy prevention and/or termination: On history of birth control in Serbia

Abstract

This text gives a brief survey of history of fertility control in Serbia from the 19th century to present. Special attention is given to the mid 20th century, the period during which currently still prevalent model of fertility control has been constituted in Serbia. This model is marked by a combination of behavioral methods and abortion, as a backup method. The author scrutinizes structural and ideological features from different levels of social organization that have framed this model of family planning and examines its advantages over medical contraception from the users’ perspective. Finally, the text discusses the ambivalent status of abortion in society which has been at the same time rather widespread and normalized method of birth control and stigmatized. [Projekat Ministartsva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 41004]

Keywords

• fertility control
• contraception
• coitus interruptus
• abortion
• history