Periods and Contraception in the 18th Century with Mina Moriarty

For the Love of History - world history, women’s history, weird history

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Grab your smelling salts, delicious doughnuts, because we’re diving into the scandalous, bizarre, and often horrifying world of 18th-century reproductive health! This week, I’m joined by the brilliant Mina Moriarty—historian, writer, and content creator extraordinaire—to talk about contraception and menstruation in the 1700s. Spoiler alert: it involves lemon rinds, animal intestines, and a whole lot of societal shame.

What’s Inside This Episode?

🩸 The shocking (and slightly terrifying) ways people managed their periods in the 18th century

🩸 DIY contraceptives—sponges, vinegar, and, uh, the pull-out method

🩸 Why 18th-century condoms came with ribbons (adorable but deeply impractical)

🩸 The wild myths people believed about menstruation (Pliny the Elder, we’re looking at you)

🩸 How cunning women and herbal remedies gave women some control over their bodies

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’ve ever wondered how historical women handled their reproductive health without access to modern medicine—or just want to hear about some truly unhinged ancient medical practices—this episode is for you! It’s fun, it’s fascinating, and it’ll make you extra grateful for your modern menstrual products.

Links & Housekeeping

🎤 Follow Mina Moriarty on Instagram @HistoryHo101 for more historical chaos

📚 You can snag your copy of Mina's book Who the Hell is Olympe de Gouges here!

📱 Want to support For the Love of History? Rate, review, and share this episode with your fellow history buffs.

Want to experience history with me in real life? Join the History BFF Trip this August and explore Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara while we celebrate history, culture, and maybe even some birthday karaoke chaos. Spots are filling up—grab yours before they’re gone!

https://trovatrip.com/trip/asia/japan/japan-with-tehya-nakamura-aug-2025

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