birth control pill
noun
: any of various preparations that usually contain both a progestin (such as norethindrone) and an estrogen (such as ethinyl estradiol), are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives typically preventing ovulation by suppressing secretion of gonadotropins (such as luteinizing hormone)
called also oral contraceptive
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Oral contraceptives had become entwined with the women’s rights movement even before 1960, when the first birth control pill was approved by the FDA. 
Kate Kelly, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 Last month, a pharmaceutical company submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 2 Aug. 2022 Last month, for the first time a pharmaceutical company asked for permission to sell a birth control pill over the counter in the U.S. CBS News, 2 Aug. 2022 The French drug maker HRA Pharma is seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell its birth control pill, which contains a single synthetic hormone, progestin, over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 Perrigo has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of an over-the-counter birth control pill, Reuters writes. Ed Silverman, STAT, 13 July 2022 The drug, with the brand name of Opill, is a progestin-only birth control pill to be taken daily. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 11 July 2022 Some advocates have wondered whether the White House will press the FDA to move quickly to approve the over-the-counter switch for the birth control pill. Laurie Mcginley, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 Oral contraceptives had become entwined with the women’s rights movement even before 1960, when the first birth control pill was approved by the F.D.A. New York Times, 11 July 2022 See More
Kate Kelly, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 Last month, a pharmaceutical company submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE.com, 2 Aug. 2022 Last month, for the first time a pharmaceutical company asked for permission to sell a birth control pill over the counter in the U.S. CBS News, 2 Aug. 2022 The French drug maker HRA Pharma is seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell its birth control pill, which contains a single synthetic hormone, progestin, over-the-counter (OTC) in the U.S. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 Perrigo has submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval of an over-the-counter birth control pill, Reuters writes. Ed Silverman, STAT, 13 July 2022 The drug, with the brand name of Opill, is a progestin-only birth control pill to be taken daily. Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 11 July 2022 Some advocates have wondered whether the White House will press the FDA to move quickly to approve the over-the-counter switch for the birth control pill. Laurie Mcginley, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2022 Oral contraceptives had become entwined with the women’s rights movement even before 1960, when the first birth control pill was approved by the F.D.A. New York Times, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1916, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
birth control pill
noun
: any of various preparations that usually contain a combination of a progestogen (as norethindrone) and an estrogen (as ethinyl estradiol) but sometimes only a progestogen, are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives typically preventing ovulation by suppressing secretion of gonadotropins (as luteinizing hormone)
called also oral contraceptive, oral contraceptive pill