birth control pill

noun

variants or less commonly birth-control pill
plural birth control pills also birth-control pills
: any of various preparations that typically contain progestin either alone or in combination with estrogen, are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : oral contraceptive
One of the biggest impediments to obtaining birth control pills is needing a prescription.Kathryn Kolbert
A survey of college students in the United States … found that the most common method of birth control among college students is the male condom, followed by birth control pillsJohn Elflein
Sales of over-the-counter contraceptives aimed at women … are declining precipitously as growing numbers of women switch to birth-control pills or opt for surgical sterilization.Kathleen Deveny

Note: The birth control pill is often referred to simply as "the Pill."

compare mini pill, morning-after pill

Examples of birth control pill in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So that includes any form of hormonal birth control including the birth control pill, the ring, hormonal intrauterine device (or IUD), the patch, and the implant. Heather Viggiani, Glamour, 9 Oct. 2022 Researchers have been trying to come up with a birth control pill for men. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 23 Feb. 2023 One type of birth control pill, sometimes called the mini-pill, contains only the hormone progestin. Amanda MacMillan, Health, 11 Feb. 2023 But a new study has found a compound that may hold the key to a reversible male birth control pill. Sophie Bushwick, Discover Magazine, 17 Aug. 2012 The first birth control pill, Enovid, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1960. Dallas News, 1 July 2022 In 1968, researchers from the Royal College of General Practitioners began tracking approximately 46,000 women in the United Kingdom — half of whom actively used the birth control pill and half of whom had never used it. Jessica Brown, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2021 Kolff had been on the birth control pill since 2019. Dallas News, 1 July 2022 Some of the most well known, like the birth control pill, work by upsetting the balance of hormones that regulate menstruation and ultimately prevent the release of a mature egg from the ovary. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'birth control pill.' 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

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of birth control pill was in 1916

Dictionary Entries Near birth control pill

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

birth control pill

noun
: any of various pills usually taken every day to prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation

Medical Definition

birth control pill

noun
variants also birth-control pill
: any of various preparations that typically contain a progestin (such as norethindrone or levonorgestrel) either alone or in combination with an estrogen (such as ethinyl estradiol or mestranol), are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : oral contraceptive
Birth control pills are mainly used to prevent pregnancy, but more than half of women who take them identify other immediate health benefits … such as relief from menstrual pain, treatment of acne and menstrual regulation.Rachel K. Jones, Guttmacher Institute
Progestins are the more active ovulation blockers; there are about 10 different progestins found in various birth control pills, each with a unique pharmacological profile. These are used in concert with … estrogen analogues. … The estrogen also helps regulate the uterine lining to prevent breakthrough bleeding.Erika Gebel Berg, American Chemical Society

Note: The birth control pill is often referred to simply as "the Pill."

see also mini pill, morning-after pill

More from Merriam-Webster on birth control pill

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