Birth control in Russia in the era of capitalism - the basis of women's freedom

The paper is devoted to a marginal issue for the Russian historical discourse - representation of practices, limiting childbirth in the noble families of industrial Russia. Active involvement of women's ego-documents into the research provides an opportunity to examine the phenomenon «from inside», and represent women’s opinion on this delicate intimate problem.

The main reasons for the spread of contraception were the collapse of the traditional noble family; expansion of female emancipation; the emergence of the ideology of «conscious motherhood» and the concept of women's reproductive freedom.

Contraception was used not only by emancipated ladies, «new women», but also ordinary noblewomen. The main proofs of the phenomenon were: the tendency of reduction of the number of children in noble families in long-term reproductive period of the couples; numerous recommendations of doctors, writers and publicists; active advertisement of contraceptives in major and provincial magazines; reviews in the ego-documents.

Ambivalent attitudes toward contraception remained in society. The best means of contraception was considered the marital abstinence. The first supporters of special means of contraception in Russia, unlike their Western colleagues, were doctors, who considered them a panacea for sexually transmitted diseases and abortions. For feminists contraceptives became the means to provide reproductive freedom for women. As a result, family planning became an important component of Russian noble families.