birth-control pill

American  

[burth-kuhn-trohl] / ˈbɜrθ kənˌtroʊl /

noun

1. an oral contraceptive for women, containing the hormones estrogen and progesterone or progesterone alone, that inhibits ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized ovum, causing temporary infertility.

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Etymology

Origin of birth-control pill

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

"It may be that the day will come when people say the birth-control pill was a mistake," Alan Sears explained.

From Salon • Oct. 9, 2023

If the FDA follows this advice, the medication, sold under the name Opill, will be the first birth-control pill available without prescription in the United States.

From Scientific American • May 12, 2023

“Too many women are in the dark when it comes to their own fertility. Should an app replace your birth-control pill? No.”

From The New Yorker • Oct. 2, 2018

With the introduction of the birth-control pill, the legalization of abortion and a lessening of the stigma of unwed motherhood, the homes began closing.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2012

One potential male birth-control pill, Gamendazole, derived from an anticancer drug, interrupts sperm maturation so "you're making nonfunctional sperm," said Gregory Kopf, associate vice chancellor for research administration at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 24, 2011