Birth control

a medical operation in which a developing baby is removed from a woman’s body so that it is not born alive

the practice of performing abortions, as a social or political issue

someone who performs abortions. This word suggests that the abortions are illegal or that you do not approve of abortion.

barrier method (noun)

any form of contraception in which an object, rather than a drug, is used for preventing women from becoming pregnant. The use of condoms is a barrier method.

birth control (noun)

the practice of avoiding becoming pregnant, or the methods used for this

cap (noun)

British a rubber object that a woman puts inside her vagina so that she can have sex without getting pregnant

coil (noun)

a curved piece of plastic that is put inside a woman’s uterus as a contraceptive (=to prevent her from becoming pregnant)

condom (noun)

a thin rubber tube that a man covers his penis with during sex, in order to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant or to protect against sexual diseases

contraception (noun)

methods for preventing a woman from becoming pregnant, or the use of such methods

contraceptive (noun)

a drug, method, or object used for preventing a woman from becoming pregnant

contraceptive (adjective)

designed to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant

diaphragm (noun)

medical a round rubber object that a woman puts inside her vagina as a contraceptive (=to avoid having a baby)

Durex ()

a type of condom

Dutch cap (noun)

British a type of contraceptive that a woman wears inside her vagina while having sex

family planning (noun)

the practice of controlling the number of children that you have by using contraceptives (=drugs, objects, or methods that stop a woman becoming pregnant)

French letter (noun)

Britishold-fashioned a condom

IUD (noun)

intra-uterine device: a type of contraceptive that consists of a small piece of plastic or metal fitted inside a woman’s womb

morning-after pill (noun)

a drug that a woman can take after having sex to stop her from becoming pregnant

oral contraceptive (noun)

formal a pill that a woman takes every day to prevent herself from becoming pregnant. It is usually called the pill and is a form of birth control.

the pill (noun)

a pill that a woman swallows every day to prevent her becoming pregnant

prophylactic (noun)

Americanformal a condom

rhythm method (noun)

a method of birth control that involves a man and a woman not having sex during the time of the month when the woman is likely to become pregnant

rubber (noun)

Americaninformal a condom

sheath (noun)

Britishold-fashioned a condom

spermicide (noun)

a cream that kills sperm, used during sex to prevent a woman from becoming pregnant

termination (noun)

medical a medical operation in which a baby is removed from a woman’s body before it is completely developed, so that it is not born alive. The more usual word for this is an abortion.

unprotected (adjective)

unprotected sex is sex that people have without protecting themselves against diseases or becoming pregnant

unsafe (adjective)

unsafe sex is sex that people have without protecting themselves against diseases or the possibility of becoming pregnant

Synonyms and antonyms of Birth control in British Thesaurus