birth control

noun

1
: deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation (as by use of birth control pills, IUDs, condoms, coitus interruptus, vasectomy, or tubal ligation) : contraception sense 1
Male sterilization, known as vasectomy, is the only long-acting method of birth control available to men …Richard V. Reeves and Eleanor Krause
… the rise in use of fertility apps and period trackers suggests women are keen for a hormone-free form of birth control.Nicola Davis and Niamh McIntyre
sometimes hyphenated before a noun
birth-control options
These clinics … provide all the birth-control methods for free.Robert Abbott
2
: devices or preparations designed to prevent conception
especially : devices or preparations (such as IUDs or birth control pills) that typically contain progestin either alone or in combination with estrogen and that prevent ovulation, thicken cervical mucus, or thin the uterine lining in order to prevent conception : contraception sense 2
Enabling pharmacists to prescribe birth control will improve access to this medication, especially in rural and underserved areas where access to reproductive health care is limited. The Newtown (Connecticut) Bee
see also birth control pill

Examples of birth control in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Most Iowans support offering birth control pills over the counter, a new poll shows. USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 One is the combination birth control pill, which contains both estrogen and progestin. Katia Hetter, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 But this is the first birth control pill that has been approved for use without a prescription from a health care provider. Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 Pincus used Searle’s compound to develop a reliable birth control pill – including through controversial human testing on women in impoverished Puerto Rican neighborhoods. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Only two drug companies are actively working to offer birth control over the counter. Annie Karni, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Isolating and analyzing gonadotropin-releasing hormone, for instance, sped along scientists’ understanding of the hormonal control of the menstrual cycle, and ultimately the development of birth control pills and of hormonal therapies for prostate cancer. Eryn Brown, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 At the urging of the Marion County Medical Society, the board of trustees of the Health and Hospital Corporation reversed a long-standing rule against spreading birth control information. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 The survey found that birth control access was especially motivating to critical groups in the Democratic coalition, including Black voters and young people, who are currently less enthusiastic about the election. Annie Karni, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'birth control.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of birth control was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near birth control

Cite this Entry

“Birth control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birth%20control. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

birth control

noun
1
: control of the number of births especially by preventing or lessening the occurrence of conception
2
: devices or preparations used to prevent pregnancy

Medical Definition

birth control

noun
1
: deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation (as by use of birth control pills, IUDs, condoms, coitus interruptus, vasectomy, or tubal ligation) : contraception sense 1
… after careful consideration of the various types of birth control available, a woman may choose a diaphragm (see diaphragm sense 3) as her major method of pregnancy protection. … It is not necessary for her to rethink all of the birth control options every time she has sex.James Jaccard et al., New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development
sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun
… family planning services through programs such as Medicaid and Title X, which have been critical in reducing costs and expanding access for low-income women to the birth-control method of their choice.Cecile Richards, The New England Journal of Medicine
2
: devices or preparations designed to prevent conception
especially : devices or preparations (such as IUDs or birth control pills) that typically contain progestin either alone or in combination with estrogen and that stop ovulation, thicken cervical mucus, or thin the uterine lining in order to prevent conception : contraception sense 2
For women of many identities, oral birth control represents an affordable, non-invasive, and effective means of family planning. Susannah Iles, Michigan Journal of Gender and Law
see also birth control pill

More from Merriam-Webster on birth control

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