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.

---

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

---

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.)

---

Etymology

Origin of family planning

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

family planning

The World Health Organisation said that when midwives were educated to international standards — and when midwifery includes family planning — they could prevent more than 80% of maternal deaths, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

Their furniture was all in the possession of the family planning officers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026

“They put all of this fear into it, but family planning isn’t just about preventing pregnancy. It’s about learning about how to build your family.”

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026

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

From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2026

Family life becomes the subject of practical experiences involving family planning, health, psychology, socialized expectations of education, the right to die.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai