Term: birth control

Pronunciation: (berth kun-TROLE)

Description:

The use of drugs, devices, or surgery to prevent pregnancy. There are many different types of birth control. These include barrier methods to keep sperm from fertilizing the egg, hormone methods, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and surgery to close the fallopian tubes in women or close off the two tubes that carry sperm out of the testicles in men. Also called contraception.