birth control

Introduction
Natural fertility
History of birth control
- Methods
- Users
Social and political aspects of birth control
- Early advocates
- The population explosion
Birth control and health
Methods of birth control
- Nonmedical methods
  - Abstinence
  - Breast-feeding
  - Coital techniques
  - Barrier methods
  - Periodic abstinence
- Medical methods
  - Hormonal contraceptives
  - Male contraception
  - Intrauterine devices
  - Voluntary sterilization
  - Abortion
Family planning services
The legality of birth control
Ethics and the influence of religious systems
Conclusions

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Blister pack of 28 oral contraceptive pills arranged in four rows, with 21 white active pills followed by 7 orange inactive pills. Arrows indicate the order for taking pills.

Open book showing title page and illustration. Left page has a portrait of E. Haldeman-Julius with text identifying him as editor. Right page reads What Every Girl Should Know by Margaret H. Sanger above an illustration of a torch.

History and impact of the birth control pill

At a Glance

birth control summary

Related Questions

Can vasectomy or tubal ligation sometimes be reversed?
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How can birth control pills affect acne and heavy menstrual bleeding?
How can birth control pills help with menstrual cramps?
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How do hormonal IUDs and copper IUDs differ?
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How do male condoms and female condoms differ in typical failure rates?
How do progestin-only birth control pills work?
How does birth control differ from sterilization?
How does progestin make it harder for sperm to reach an egg?
How effective is sterilization at preventing pregnancy?
How effective is withdrawal when used correctly compared with typical use?
How is long-term use of birth control pills linked to ovarian and endometrial cancer risk?
How long can copper IUDs prevent pregnancy?
How long can hormonal IUDs prevent pregnancy?
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What hormones are found in combination birth control pills?
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When does pregnancy protection begin after an IUD is inserted?
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Why does forgetting birth control pills increase the chance of pregnancy?
Why is douching not an effective method of birth control?
Why is sterilization considered a permanent method of birth control?
Why is withdrawal less reliable than some other birth control methods?
Why must birth control pills be taken on a regular schedule?
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What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)?
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Health & Medicine Medicine

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External Websites

Johns Hopkins Medicine - Birth Control
National Center for Biotechnology Information - Birth Control
Verywell Health - An Overview of Birth Control
PBS - American Experience - Birth Control Before the Pill
eMedicineHealth - Birth Control
WebMD - Understanding Birth Control Pills: How They Work and How to Use
Cleveland Clinic - Birth Control Options

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

birth control - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

birth control

medicine

Written by

Malcolm Potts

Bixby Professor of Population and Family Planning, University of California, Berkeley. Coauthor of The Textbook of Contraceptive Practice and others.

Malcolm Potts

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 2, 2026 •History

birth control, the voluntary limiting of human reproduction, using such means as sexual abstinence, contraception, induced abortion, and surgical sterilization. It includes the spacing as well as the number of children in a family. Birth control encompasses the wide range of rational and irrational methods that have been used in the attempt to regulate fertility, as well as the response of individuals and of groups within society to the choices offered by such methods. It...

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