| Abortion | The termination of pregnancy.
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| Basal body temperature (BBT) method | A type of rhythm method of birth control in which the woman determines when she ovulates by keeping track of her temperature.
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| Calendar method | A type of rhythm method of birth control in which the woman determines when she ovulates by keeping a calendar record of the length of her menstrual cycles.
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| Cervical mucus method | A type of rhythm method of birth control in which the woman determines when she ovulates by checking her cervical mucus.
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| Combination birth control pills | Birth control pills that contain a combination of estrogen and progestin (progesterone).
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| Diaphragm | A cap-shaped rubber contraceptive device that fits inside a woman's vagina over the cervix.
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| Douching (DOOSH-ing) | Flushing out the inside of the vagina with a liquid.
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| Erotophiles | People who feel comfortable with sex, lacking in feelings of guilt and fear about sex.
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| Erotophobes | People who feel guilty and fearful about sex.
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| Failure rate | The pregnancy rate occurring using a particular contraceptive method; the percentage of women who will be pregnant after a year of use of the method.
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| Hysterotomy | A surgical method of abortion done in the late second trimester.
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| Intrauterine device (IUD) | A plastic device sometimes containing metal or a hormone that is inserted into the uterus for contraceptive purposes.
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| Male condom | A contraceptive sheath that is placed over the penis.
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| Mifepristone (RU-486) | The "abortion pill."
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| Minilaparotomy | A method of female sterilization.
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| Rhythm (fertility awareness) method | A method of birth control that involves abstaining from intercourse around the time the woman ovulates.
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| Spermicide (SPERM-ih-side) | A substance that kills sperm.
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| Sterilization | A surgical procedure by which an individual is made sterile, that is, incapable of reproducing.
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| Sympto-thermal method | A type of rhythm method of birth control combining the basal body temperature method and the cervical mucus method.
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| Triphasic pill | A birth control pill containing a steady level of estrogen and three phases of progesterone, intended to mimic more closely women's natural hormonal cycles.
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| Vacuum aspiration | A method of abortion that is performed during the first trimester and involves suctioning out the contents of the uterus. Also called suction curettage.
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| Vasectomy (va-SEK-tuh-mee) | A surgical procedure for male sterilization involving severing of the vas deferens.
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| Withdrawal | A method of birth control in which the man withdraws his penis from his partner's vagina before he ejaculates.
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