List of sex hygiene films

The sex hygiene film was a genre of film dealing with stories involving sexual health, particularly sexually transmitted disease (hence the slang label "clap opera"), but also sometimes touching on topics such as prostitution, birth control, and illegitimacy. The genre had its origins in the United States around the time of World War I. Early sex hygiene films were created by mainstream studios and, though their treatment of a taboo topic was controversial, they were perceived as having positive educational value. By the 1920s, sex hygiene films had begun to include graphic depictions of human anatomy, and the genre evolved into an early example of exploitation films. A 1928 article noted that there were 15 to 20 films in circulation, but that some were composed of splices from other films, whose purpose was to allow sex hygiene and medical education books to be sold in the lobby.

Sex hygiene films were publicly exhibited at theatres and often drew large audiences, though attendance was sometimes limited to adults, or to only one sex. Sometimes the promoter would have up to three versions of the film available in the theater and, upon a signal indicating that police or authorities were present, would show the more acceptable version of the film.