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
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 nounNicola Davis and Niamh McIntyrebirth-control options
These clinics … provide all the birth-control methods for free.—Robert Abbott
Robert Abbott2
: 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
The Newtown (Connecticut) Bee Examples of birth control in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Senate Democrats also proposed an amendment to fund pediatric cancer research and programs to increase birth control access.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
Care from health professionals before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborns, according to the WHO, as can reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies through birth control.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
Ryann Redmond is charming, bold and exuberant as seen-it-all Petunia, who has umpteen children due to the lack of birth control.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
Menstrual cups are similar in design to diaphragms and cervical cups (which are both birth control methods).
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for birth control
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Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
Care from health professionals before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborns, according to the WHO, as can reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies through birth control.
—Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
Ryann Redmond is charming, bold and exuberant as seen-it-all Petunia, who has umpteen children due to the lack of birth control.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
Menstrual cups are similar in design to diaphragms and cervical cups (which are both birth control methods).
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for birth control
Cite this Entry
“Birth control.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birth%20control. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
birth control
noun1
: 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 nounJames Jaccard et al., New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development… 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
Cecile Richards, The New England Journal of Medicine2
: 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
Susannah Iles, Michigan Journal of Gender and Law Love words? Need even more definitions?
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