quality:correction
American testing surrounding the Puerto Rico trials

In 1873, the United States federal government passed a series of laws commonly known as the Comstock Laws. The Comstock Laws criminalized the use of the postal service as a means of sending, obtaining, or possessing items considered obscene or salacious (including books, pamphlets, abortifacients, anything used to "facilitate sex", or containing sexual language, etc.). The Comstock Laws thus basically criminalized contraceptive devices and instruments used in abortion procedures. The legislation, however, did not prevent women or businesses from continuing to explore and attempt different methods of birth control. Forced underground, abortion procedures often led to unintentional sterilization or death. Over three-quarters of self-induced abortions resulted in complications.