Kyusaku Ogino
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese doctor specializing in obstetrics
and gynecology
.
His natural father's family name was Nakamura, but Kyusaku was adopted by the Ogino family in 1901.
Ogino studied infertility and developed a method to estimate the fertile
period of the menstrual cycle
based on the length of a woman's past cycles. This knowledge could be used by couples seeking pregnancy
to time intercourse
so as to maximize the chances of conception
.
In 1930, John Smulders, Roman Catholic physician from the Netherlands
, used this discovery to create a method for avoiding pregnancy. Smulders published his work with the Dutch Roman Catholic medical association, and this was the official Rhythm Method promoted over the next several decades. Ogino opposed the use of his method for contraception. He argued that its failure rate was too high: to promote it for contraception, despite the availability other effective contraceptive methods, would result in many abortions from unwanted pregnancies. Despite this, the Rhythm Method of contraception is ironically referred to as the Ogino Method in Japan. Babies born despite the use of this method are known as "Ogino babies."
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and gynecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
.
His natural father's family name was Nakamura, but Kyusaku was adopted by the Ogino family in 1901.
Ogino studied infertility and developed a method to estimate the fertile
Fertility
Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...
period of the menstrual cycle
Menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is the scientific term for the physiological changes that can occur in fertile women for the purpose of sexual reproduction. This article focuses on the human menstrual cycle....
based on the length of a woman's past cycles. This knowledge could be used by couples seeking pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
to time intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
so as to maximize the chances of conception
Fertilisation
Fertilisation is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
.
In 1930, John Smulders, Roman Catholic physician from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, used this discovery to create a method for avoiding pregnancy. Smulders published his work with the Dutch Roman Catholic medical association, and this was the official Rhythm Method promoted over the next several decades. Ogino opposed the use of his method for contraception. He argued that its failure rate was too high: to promote it for contraception, despite the availability other effective contraceptive methods, would result in many abortions from unwanted pregnancies. Despite this, the Rhythm Method of contraception is ironically referred to as the Ogino Method in Japan. Babies born despite the use of this method are known as "Ogino babies."