The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA

Herbal Contraception

This is directly quoted from the book.  As I mentioned before, this book is out of print.  I got it from Stromgart? books in San Fran, CA.

Excerpt from "Herbal Abortion: the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge" by Uni M. Tiamat.

November 10, 1981, Nan Ullrike Koehler

What follows is a how-to guide to doing an herbal abortion.  I and several of my friends have used this method and know it to be safe and effective.

Prerequisites for using this method:
1. Keep a chart of your monthly cycle in some reliable way (ovulation method, mucus, basal temperature, etc.).  You need to be aware of your rythym so that you can accurately predict your fertile and menstrual times each month.
2. Procedures for an herbal abortion must be started before you expect to bleed.  If you wait until you have missed your period, it will be too late to use this method effectively.

If you made love with a man during your fertile time (for example, days 10-16 in a 28 day cycle), and hyou do not wish to be pregnant, here is what you do:

1. After unprotected intercourse on a potentially fertile day, begin eating 5-10 apricot kernels 3 times a day.  Continue this until your period comes.  This prevents implantation.  (The same effect can be achieved with high levels of Vitamin C in this way.  Use more than 10 grams per day.)

2. Three to five days before you expect your period, do a fast or a semi-fast (eat lightly, aiming for an alkaline diet, and eliminating all animal proteins).  Also make an effort to be extra physically active during this time.  This will give your body the direct message that this is not the time to foster the growth of a baby.

3. Do herbal teas.  Choose from the emmenagogues:  Bay, Black Cohosh, Cotton Root, Pennyroyal, Rue, Squaw Vine, Tansy, Yarrow, etc.  To make a tea:  pour one quart of boiling water over one teaspoon of the herb or herbs in a glass quart jar.  Do not let the tea come into contact with metal.  Sip this tea throughout the day.  The idea is not to poison yourself, but rather to keep the level of tea constant in your body.  Again, you are giving you body the message that this is not an appropriate time for growing a baby. Continue with the teas until you period comes.

4. Insert fresh Parsley into your vagina.  Wash the Parsley, cut off the stems and place the parsley high up in your vagina.  The herb is irritating to the uterus, and it will help encourage the period to come.

An addition method may be used in conjunction with the above steps.  I have not tried this method, but my friend Jeanine Rose has reported success with it;  Take one capsule of Evening Primrose oil (prostaglandins) 3-4 times a day.  Theoretically, this will help soften the cervix, which opens to release the menstrual flow.  The oil may also be applied directly to your cervix.

In summary, this regime is simple, easy and safe.  Chart your cycle, chew apricot kernels, sip teas, work hard and take positive action to achieve your goal of self mastery.