Violetta Hionidou - Abortion and Contraception in Modern Greece, 1830-1967 Medicine, Sexuality and Popular Culture

The aim of this series is to illuminate the development and impact of medicine and the biomedical sciences in the modern era. The series was founded by the late Professor John Pickstone, and its ambitions reflect his commitment to the integrated study of medicine, science and technology in their contexts. He repeatedly commented that it was a pity that the foundation discipline of the field, for which he popularized the acronym HSTM (History of Science, Technology and Medicine) had been the history of science rather than the history of medicine. His point was that historians of science had too often focused just on scientific ideas and institutions, while historians of medicine always had to consider the understanding, management and meanings of diseases in their socio-economic, cultural, technological and political contexts. In the event, most of the books in the series dealt with medicine and the biomedical sciences, and the changed series title reflects this. However, as the new editors we share Professor Pickstones enthusiasm for the integrated study of medicine, science and technology, encouraging studies on biomedical science, translational medicine, clinical practice, disease histories, medical technologies, medical specialisms and health policies.

The books in this series will present medicine and biomedical science as crucial features of modern culture, analysing their economic, social and political aspects, while not neglecting their expert content and context. Our authors investigate the uses and consequences of technical knowledge, and how it shaped, and was shaped by, particular economic, social and political structures. In re-launching the Series, we hope to build on its strengths but extend its geographical range beyond Western Europe and North America.

is intended to supply analysis and stimulate debate. All books are based on searching historical study of topics which are important, not least because they cut across conventional academic boundaries. They should appeal not just to historians, nor just to medical practitioners, scientists and engineers, but to all who are interested in the place of medicine and biomedical sciences in modern history.Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Modern Historyis intended to supply analysis and stimulate debate. All books are based on searching historical study of topics which are important, not least because they cut across conventional academic boundaries. They should appeal not just to historians, nor just to medical practitioners, scientists and engineers, but to all who are interested in the place of medicine and biomedical sciences in modern history.

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This book would not have been written without the generous sabbatical provision of Newcastle University. For this I am extremely grateful. I also thank Newcastle University for funding my frequent trips to Greece over the years to visit libraries and archives to collect material for this book. I am most grateful to the staff at the National Library of Greece, the Library of the Hellenic Parliament at Lenorman, Philip Robinson at Newcastle, Firestone Library at Princeton, Mykonos Library, Syros Library and Koraes Library on Hios. I also thank very much, once again, all the friends I made over the years, at the places where I researched this book. They are too many to list and I am sure there are plenty that I have forgotten, but I will mention a few nevertheless: Voula Skagia, Aristoula Koufopantelis, Maria Monioudi, Michalis Assimomitis and Hara Skavaki. They have all helped me enormously, introducing me not only to their friends and acquaintances but also to their local cultures.

I extend an especially warm thank you to all of the people who have opened up their houses and hearts to me since 1993, and who, over the years, have happily talked about their pasts. This project would not have been possible without their trust, which allowed me into their homes to talk about extremely private matters. Most interviews took place thanks to funded projects: the transcription of the last set of interviews was funded by the Wellcome Trust [082800/B/07/LS/HH (Strategic Award in History of Medicine)] awarded to the Northern Centre for the History of Medicine. The Hios and Syros interviews were collected and transcribed as part of the Wellcome Trust for the History of Medicine post-doctoral Fellowship (no. 056211). The Mykonos interviews were collected as part of the Human Capital and Mobility Fellowship, funded by the EU (CHBICT930867). I am extremely grateful to all for their financial support.

I thank Vicky Manolopoulou for undertaking the data inputting of theSofianopoulos Cliniqueregister. She did so with extraordinary efficiency and good humour despite the gruesome subject matter. I also thank Elena Katselli for commenting on part of Chap.. It helped me improve it significantly. I am extremely grateful to Margery Mooney, who happily and readily looked after her grandchildren when I needed to undertake fieldtrips or participate in conferences. I am also very grateful to my own mother, who talked to me from an early age about her abortion experiences that spanned from the USSR to Greece, and who first brought to my attention the extensive unreliability of coitus interruptus as well as the populations unquestioned ignorance surrounding contraception. It was her incessant story-telling that made me a good listener, a priceless attribute when undertaking oral history. I dedicate this book to the women who shaped my lifemy grandmother Maria, my mother Ioulia and my daughter Iliabut also to Yuri, who has taught me a lot about the ways young men think today.