family planning

American  

noun

1. the concept or a program of limiting the size of families through the spacing or prevention of pregnancies, especially for economic reasons.

2. (loosely) birth control.

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family planning British  

noun

1. the control of the number of children in a family and of the intervals between them, esp by the use of contraceptives See also birth control

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family planning Cultural  

1. The use of education and birth control to limit the number of offspring and the population of a country. (See population control and Margaret Sanger.)

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Etymology

Origin of family planning

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

They waited until it was completely dark, and did their best to make as little noise as possible so that nobody would notice and report us to the family planning office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Since 1980, Zimbabwe has made progress in educating women on family planning to reduce teenage pregnancy rates.

From Salon • Feb. 9, 2026

"Those who truly need to buy these products will still buy them, because these are family planning products," Xu told AFP outside a shopping mall.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

Affiliates rely on a variety of funding sources, including private donations, state Medicaid programs, family planning funds, and patient fees.

From Slate • Jul. 29, 2025

Every married couple should put themselves in the hands of a physician whom they respect and admire, making him an indispensable third partner to their family planning.

From The Good Housekeeping Marriage Book by Bigelow, William F. (William Frederick)