oral contraceptive

noun

plural oral contraceptives

: any of various preparations that typically contain progestin either alone or in combination with estrogen, are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : birth control pill

Johns Hopkins University has estimated that 80 percent of American women born since 1945 have used oral contraceptives at some time.

—The New York Times

And because it's a combined oral contraceptive … meaning that it contains progestin and estrogen, it's not recommended for nursing moms …

—Caitlin Stine

She is considering having another child and is wondering whether she should discontinue oral contraceptives to attempt pregnancy.

—G. Adam Davidson

Examples of oral contraceptive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What to Know About the Birth Control Patch Barriers to Birth Control Access With all of the birth control options on the market, oral contraceptives like Opill remain the most popular. —Emily Nadal, Parents, 13 July 2023

As a natural dietary supplement, PhenQ can safely be taken with oral contraceptives without interfering with their effectiveness. —Mark Jackson, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

For context, that's less than those who used oral contraceptive pills (14%) but more than the amount who used condoms (8.4%). —Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024

Other acne treatment options include oral isotretinoin (Accutane) for severe acne and hormonal therapy such as spironolactone with oral contraceptives for girls with moderate acne. —Casey Gallagher, Verywell Health, 2 Mar. 2024

This approach makes sense, because oral contraceptives are as safe as these and other OTC drugs, and the potential for misuse or abuse is low. —Dana Singiser, STAT, 23 Aug. 2023

There’s a lack of systematic and comprehensive data on the peri-conceptional use of oral contraceptives and pregnancy complications and birth outcomes. —Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 4 May 2023

The supplement can even reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, which could lead to pregnancy. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024

The most common contraceptive methods are female sterilization (18.1 percent), followed by oral contraceptive pills (14.0 percent) and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) (10.4 percent). —Kayla Bartsch, National Review, 28 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

oral contraceptive

noun

: any of various preparations that typically contain a progestin (such as norethindrone or levonorgestrel) either alone or in combination with an estrogen (such as ethinyl estradiol or mestranol), are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : birth control pill