Legal Definitions - birth control

Birth control refers to any method or practice specifically intended to prevent pregnancy. These methods can involve various approaches, including physical barriers, hormonal medications, surgical procedures, or behavioral choices designed to avoid the fertilization of an egg by sperm.

• Example 1: A woman consults her doctor and decides to have a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) inserted. This device releases a small amount of hormones over several years to prevent pregnancy.

  Explanation: This illustrates birth control because the IUD is a medical device that employs hormonal action to prevent the fertilization of an egg or its implantation in the uterus, thereby effectively preventing pregnancy.

• Example 2: A couple chooses to consistently use condoms during sexual intercourse to avoid conception.

  Explanation: This demonstrates birth control as condoms act as a physical barrier during intercourse, preventing sperm from reaching the egg and thus stopping fertilization from occurring.

• Example 3: A man undergoes a vasectomy, a surgical procedure where the tubes that carry sperm are cut or sealed, making him permanently unable to cause pregnancy.

  Explanation: This is an example of birth control because it is a surgical method designed to permanently prevent the man from releasing sperm into semen, thereby stopping the reproductive process at its source and preventing pregnancy.