Ok, I don't specifically mean the 1700's, but that sort of period!. How could they tell if they were pregnant!? They had no pregnancy tests,
thanks everyone, i'd really appreciate your help!. It's for something I am writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>History> In the 1700's,How did they know if they were pregnant?Question: In the 1700's,How did they know if they were pregnant!? Ok, I don't specifically mean the 1700's, but that sort of period!. How could they tell if they were pregnant!? They had no pregnancy tests,
thanks everyone, i'd really appreciate your help!. It's for something I am writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: 1350 BCE One of the earliest written records of a urine-based pregnancy test can be found in an ancient Egyptian document!. A papyrus described a test in which a woman who might be pregnant could urinate on wheat and barley seeds over the course of several days: Testing of this theory in 1963 found that 70 percent of the time, the urine of pregnant women did promote growth, while the urine of non-pregnant women and men did not!. Middle Ages through the Seventeenth Century Using visual aspects of urine to detect pregnancy became a popular method!. In Europe, so-called “piss prophets” claimed to be able to diagnose many different conditions and diseases by the color of urine!. In a 1552 text, pregnancy urine was described as: “clear pale lemon color leaning toward off-white, having a cloud on its surface!.” Other tests included mixing wine with urine and observing the results!. Indeed, alcohol reacts with certain proteins in urine, so this may have had a moderate success rate!. Nineteenth Century Various theories abounded, such as the possibility that pregnancy urine contained certain identifiable crystals or bacteria!. Scientists did not know enough about pregnancy to develop a reliable test!. However, for sexually active women, the best method for diagnosing pregnancy remained careful observation of their own physical signs and symptoms (such as morning sickness)!. There is a lot more on this!. The artical can be found here: http://history!.nih!.gov/exhibits/thinblue!.!.!. also, there is information on the wiki at: http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Pregnancy_t!.!.!. And also here: http://www!.early-pregnancy-tests!.com/his!.!.!. Good luck on your report/whatever you are writing!Www@QuestionHome@Com They did it the old-fashioned way--the first clue was a missed period!. Then there was morning sickness, fatigue, and sometimes the 'mask of pregnancy'--a darkening of the face around the eyes caused by the hormonal changes!. Oh, just for color in what you're writing, you might refer to the menstrual cycle as 'the courses' or 'monthly courses!.' In the medieval period, when bloodletting was considered a panacea for all ills, it was often referred to as 'the female benefit' because its regular occurrence meant that women didn't need to submit to the debilitating--and sometimes fatal--practice of being bled as readily as men had to!.Www@QuestionHome@Com There are ways to tell!. The Vagina will stop giving off blood on a regular basis, and this may increase slightly later on into the pregnancy!. The womens stomach size would obviously start to increase, and if she was eating properly, regular sickness may occur!. also, the women will have received sperm from the man, and by conducting this process, they both aimed for a child!.Www@QuestionHome@Com All of the above, and breast tenderness and enlargement too, I guess!. Having sex beforehand would of course have been a bit of a tell tale sign,!.!.!. :P Sometimes it was very hard to tell too!. Stress, a bad diet, heavy physical exertion, and some other factors could also cause a normal period to be missed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The world of knowing why and how things occur did not begin in the latter half of the 20th Century when you were born!. Believe it or not, many scientific advances took place even before Jesus Christ was born!. Women have always known they were pregnant by the physiological changes in their body!. Do you really stop to think about these things before asking questions like this!?Www@QuestionHome@Com The old fashioned way - they missed a period, felt sick etc!. They just had to wait longer for confirmation but I am pretty sure they know most of the time!. I think they also lived in a society where they were used to waiting for things because very little was instant in those days!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Well, missing periods would be one indication, and feeling sick would be another one!. I started to feel sick when I was around 3 weeks pregnant with all three of my pregnancies!. You'd soon notice if you were pregnant, with out without a test!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The SAME WAY they know TODAY!.!.!. and the basic process hasn't changed since woman-kind crawled out of the primordial sea!.!.!. You must be very young, because ANYONE over the age of about 25 or so, can remember a time BEFORE PREGNANCY TESTS!.Www@QuestionHome@Com just by their periods stopping, by the way this was the case up to the 1960's too until they did testing at the doctors but it took 3 days to get your results!. not as quick as now just peeing on a stick lolWww@QuestionHome@Com I guess they just went on the fact thier periods stopped, they started getting morning sickness, and eventually started getting biggerWww@QuestionHome@Com I had my lst child in 1967 and was not offered a test just had to miss 2 periods - doctor would not consider seeing me before thatWww@QuestionHome@Com I read a lot of historical novels!. I get the impression that if they did not "know" like some mothers do, it was when their 'courses' (period) stopped!. Hope that helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The same way a woman would find out today without using a pregnancy test!. Just wait for a little bit and you'll start seeing signs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The huge bump protruding from their midriff was probably a good indicator!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Erm, the fact that their periods stopped and their bellys started to grow!. It did not go!.!.!."*baby comes out* Oh my God, I was pregnant!"Www@QuestionHome@Com The same way women have known they were pregnant since we lived in caves!. I didn't need a test to know I was pregnant, although I took one to confirm it!. You just KNOW!!Www@QuestionHome@Com their periods were going tobe stopped and their stomachs were going tobe puffy! and etcWww@QuestionHome@Com wouldn't their periods stop!? i think that would be the only way, plus maybe a bump appearing lol :o) xWww@QuestionHome@Com A babies head sticking out the muff was probably a good indicator!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |