birth control

This term functions as both an abstract concept referring to the general practice of family planning and as a concrete reference to specific contraceptive tools. When referring to the practice, it is used as an uncountable noun. When referring to a specific method, such as a pill or an implant, it can be treated as a countable noun, though it is frequently used as a mass noun in medical contexts.

In social and medical registers, the term is neutral and clinical. It is often used interchangeably with contraception, though birth control more frequently implies the active intent to regulate the timing and number of children in a family rather than just the biological act of preventing conception.