What was true about women and birth control in America by the 1930s?

Question

A. Margaret Sanger is remembered for the distribution of information on birth control to women (this was illegal; the American government and the American Medical Association did not want women to have the knowledge and ability limit or have control of their own reproduction [midwives historically had this knowledge, but were long gone as women's health advisers by the 19 & 20C]--rights to women's reproduction remained the rights of the husband across history in Western society until the 1960s/70s)

B. Women gained the right to have an abortion legally and safely

C. Women could get custody of their children in court, whether born or if she was pregnant

D. Women hire their own attorneys & file for divorce without proof of adultery by the husband

Answer 1

A is the best answer. The distribution of information was illegal through the mail (the Comstock Act), and was considered to be in poor taste by newspapers and magazines. Remember, this was a time when women who couldn't conceive were pitied for being barren.
As for grounds for divorce, these have varied a lot between one state and another and one country and another. In the 1930's I think generally divorce could be granted on grounds of insanity, abandonment, drunkenness, and cruelty.

Answer 2

A, C, and D.

B didn't occur until the 1970's--and, interestingly enough, abortion was the most common form of birth control before Sanger's introduction of the diaphragm from Europe.

By the 1930's, in most jurisdictions in the USA, a woman could get custody of her children (in fact, many held that the mother was the most natural choice as custodial parent), and wives could sue for divorce just as husbands could--and on the same grounds.

In practical terms, however, unless a woman had independent means of her own, divorce was relatively rare, since most women were financially dependent on their husbands.

Answer 3

A