Colonialism, Catholicism, and Contraception: A History of Birth Control in Puerto Rico

Ramírez de Arellano, Annette B. & Conrad Seipp, Colonialism, Catholicism, and Contraception: A History of Birth Control in Puerto Rico, Chapel Hill & London: University of North Carolina Press, 1983. (signed by Annette Ramírez de Arellano for Dr. Mathews)

Reviewed in Hispanic American Historical Review (1984) 64 (3).

Reviewed in Nieuwe West-Indische Gids, Vol. 59, No. 3/4, 1985.

From the cover:

The history of family planning in Puerto Rico stretches over more than half a century. Given the island’s high density, relative poverty, and dramatic population growth, the relationship of people to resources has been a key issue, dominating other concerns and reflecting profound social tensions, antagonisms, and fears. In Colonialism, Catholicism, and Contraception, Annette Ramírez de Arellano and Conrad Seipp analyze the tortuous course that Puerto Rico has followed in evolving a population policy. They describe the many steps involved in first broaching the subject of birth control and establishing the relevance of contraception. They find that both proponents and opponents of birth control were passionate in their convictions and pursued their goals with evangelical zeal. Between 1940 and 1960, Puerto Rico underwent profound changes; these included the creation of a new machinery of government, industrialization, mass emigration, and a redefinition of the island’s relationship with the United States. With these transformations as a backdrop, the authors discuss Puerto Rico’s role as a laboratory for testing different birth control methods and the inevitable conflicts between church and state. Also treated are the island’s rapid economic growth, shifting values, and changes in the position of women in society. Using the history of contraception as a focus, Ramírez de Arellano and Seipp assess Puerto Rican society today and anticipate the island’s prospects and potential.