Choice or Coercion: The Biography of Norplant

Norplant was the first subdermal implantable contraceptive device. It consisted of six silicone rubber rods filled with a hormone. When the device was inserted under the skin of a woman’s arm, Norplant prevented pregnancies for up to five years. This podcast examines Norplant’s history, and more specifically the way governmental institutions used the contraceptive device to control certain populations of women’s bodies.