True, Trisher There is an assumption that before the Abortion Act abortion was a rare occurrence. In fact it happened far more often than anyone would be aware of, because it was necessarily cloaked in secrecy. How many women took medication (or mixtures of herbs) for"irregularity of their menstrual cycle"?
The knowledge of which herbs would do that - restore periods which had somehow or other become "irregular" or non-existent, was known to women from time immemorial. Pennyroyal was one of them, and tansy, thuja, safflower, scotch broom, rue, angelica, mugwort, wormwood, yarrow, and of course ergot.
In the Middle Ages, there was a monastery just off the A68 at Soutra on the Scottish/Engish border. Only a small building remains now, but it was a large community, whose speciality was medical and surgical care for the local population and for travellers. They were on the main road across which many waves of armies marched through the inhospitable moors, and were no doubt a welcome sight to footsore soldiers, on their way to invade, or returning with their injured and sick. There was a hospital, and gardens full of medicinal herbs.
Excavations a few years ago revealed in the drains various remains of medicinal mixtures. As well as a mixture of hemlock, henbane and opium poppy, which would have made a potent anaesthetic for amputations and so on, and dressings of opium and lard, there were mixtures which would get rid of worms, and other concoctions.
The most relevant mix for this discussion was one of ergot fungus and juniper berries. "Another intriguing find at Soutra Aisle is the discovery of the remains of stillborn babies, and the presence of ergot fungus and juniper berries. The ergot fungus is a parasitic fungus that attacks cereal crops, and is now known to contain alkaloids, including ergometrine, which causes contractions of the uterus. Juniper berries are also said to have been referred to as a ‘uterine stimulant’. Therefore, it has been speculated that the combination of these two elements might have been used to help with childbirth, or abortion. As Augustinian monks were strictly forbidden to practise midwifery, it raises the possibility that this was either practised illegally by the monks at the hospital, or that female midwives were also working at Soutra Aisle." With the armies that bivouacked there as they passed would have been large numbers of women, employed in various domestic work for the armies, and doubtless in relationships with the men. A pregnancy while travelling with an active army would have been most inconvenient and dangerous! The local women would have known where to get help when they needed it too.
www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/incredible-medical-interventions-monks-soutra-aisle-003285
There is nothing new under the sun.