The fathers were most likely speaking of agents that had mechanisms of action that caused the expelling of the fetus.... including agents that set up smooth muscle contraction like castor oil, senna products, etc. ...... abortive remedies of this sort would provide visual confirmation of the abortion. ...
See the below quotes of a few of the fathers that were quoted in the main article.
Hippolytus
[Christian women with male concubines], on account of their prominent ancestry and great property, the so-called faithful want no children from slaves or lowborn commoners, they use drugs of sterility [oral contraceptives] or bind themselves tightly in order to expel a fetus which has already been engendered [abortion] (Refutation of All Heresies 9:7 [A.D. 225]).
Jerome
You may see a number of women who are widows before they are wives. Others, indeed, will drink sterility [oral contraceptives] and murder a man not yet born, [and some commit abortion] (Letters 22:13 [A.D. 396]).
Caesarius
Who is he who cannot warn that no woman may take a potion [an oral contraceptive or an abortifacient] so that she is unable to conceive or condemns in herself the nature which God willed to be fecund? As often as she could have conceived or given birth, of that many homicides she will be held guilty.......(Sermons 1:12 [A.D. 522]).
Note:
I admit that I haven't studied ancient abortifacient medicine..... my above comments are based upon my own knowledge of what would be available as abortifacients during that time.
I DO have a tremendous amount of respect for the scientific knowledge and abilities of the ancient peoples, and would not doubt that they had a knowledge of abortive remedies that would surprise us.
I'll study up on ancient abortifacients and report back!
"I DO have a tremendous amount of respect for the scientific knowledge and abilities of the ancient peoples, and would not doubt that they had a knowledge of abortive remedies that would surprise us."
I'm sure we would be impressed with the amount of knowledge they did have, but it would be impossible for them to know then what we know now.
For example...
It is my personal opinion that the use of a condom is a less serious matter than the use of the birth control pill.
This is because it is possible for the pill to occasionally fail in preventing ovulation. There is a backup feature of the pill that prevents possible fertilized eggs from implanting.
So...you have the situation where many women are actually aborting but are not aware of it.
When a condom "fails" the implantation is not prevented.
The early christians simply could not have known about the microscopic differences between this or that medicine - or what was truly contraceptive vs. what was abortive.
And how could they?