What's worse is when an educated professional says they don't believe in birth control because of all the hormones.

Needless to say, he quickly dropped out of my fantasies.

I can't say I've ever heard anyone refer to the pill as simply Birth Control, but then again I don't really discuss birth control much.

Other. I don't mind them saying "I'm on birth control" and all that. But when they respond they don't know what kind, it just makes them look stupid and I ask what form. So I guess my best answer would be more education. I myself even say I'm on birth control. But when asked what kind, I say "The Pill" or "Depo". But really, it doesn't annoy me.

If someone says, "Are you on birth control?" I take it to mean "Are you doing something that prevents pregnancy?" However, it is kind of annoying that by "birth control," the speaker is usually referring to the pill.

I don't see what the big deal is and why to get all worked up over it? Most people that I know refer to the pill as birth control and will say that, so what? I know what they mean, if I would have to know specifically, I would ask the person to be specific. So, most people just assume that where I'm from and how I came to know of it. I would be offended if my doctor/nurse/ect was rude, got impatient with me, or made me feel stupid because I used a general word and not the specific one....

It doesn't bother me when people are vague in terms, though if it was a healthcare professional that would be different.

It doesn't really bother me to the extent that it does you but I understand what you're saying.

I can't say it really bothers me too much. If I personally/professiona lly need more information (as in I will be having sex with them or they were under medical care, ect) I will ask what form of birth control. Allowing people to simply say birth control as a general term allows them to say "yes, I am doing something to prevent pregnancy" without having to go into what they think are personal or embarrassing details. After all those that require surgery are very personal and anything involving sex can be embarrassing for many people.

Plus context can give a lot of detail: Let us take "I am on birth control"
"I am on Condoms"
"I am on Withdrawal"
"I am on A Cervical Cap"
"I am on Spermicidal foam"
"I am on A Diaphragm"
"I am on An IUD"
"I am on Sterilization"
"I am on vasectomy"
"I am on the pill"
Which one of those sounds correct? To me it is the one that states "I use X medication".

But, you know what "irritates the hell out of me" about the way people ask questions? When they phrase the answers so that the only answer that disagrees with the questioner's point of view has a completely negative connotation to it. For example: "No, I like my dialogue with others to be confusing and misrepresetative". There is no "No, society at large understands the contextual differences or the difference between I have birth control versus I am on birth control", "No, it varies with the situation, someone has voluntarily given you a piece of personal information, unless it directly effects you you have no right to demand more personal information." or even an "It depends on the situation"/"other"/"No , I'll explain why"


If you have read this far I want to be clear, speaking to a medical professional about your form of birth control is a situation that may/should require a greater deal of specificity that simply stating you use a form of birth control, medicine in your body, possible interactions, possible allergic reactions, high chances of pregnancy with some methods, and past surgeries are all relevant to the provision of medical care. You reference being in the medical field, thus in that professional life I can see the need for more information and the annoyance with people using a catch all phrase. But, in one's personal life in my opinion you have no right or expectation of that information.

I don't mean to come off as attacking and I am sorry if I did. The level of inconvenience of having to rephrase or ask another question varies by situation.

Maybe a lot of people think the pill's the only form of birth control so they refer to it as such.

We need better Sex Education that includes information and terminology about ALL forms of birth control

This comes up all the time with people making assumptions that birth control is the "pill". I was recently annoyed when I was asked by the nurse at my PCP if I am on birth control, I said yes. She followed up with what brand? My answer was an IUD....placed by my GYN.

There are many possible answers to the question and from the people I deal with, the pill is frequently used, so are so many of the other methods, including, a Diaphragm which I also used for awhile.

Most just say they are on the pill. Being on birth control signifies something you take every day. Using birth control is more using not on. Just a matter of syntax.

Nah, lifes too short

I chose the No option (even if it is condescending) given that there was no 'other' option : /

I agree with what Geogeo said.

I am aware that there are different types of birth control; when I talk about the subject of birth control my friends understand that I am on the Pill and not trying to confuse them. I do agree that we need better sex ed.

That's a matter of semantics; however, we do need a more well-rounded and accurate sex education in public school systems today, but that's opening a completely different issue.

To be honest, the term "birth control" itself bugs me. Contraception prevents pregnancies. To be frank, abortion prevents births. Shouldn't it be called "pregnancy/conception/ fertilization control"?

But yes, using birth control to mean strictly oral contraceptives is quite annoying to me as well.

I understand your point however someone can't be "on" condoms, withdrawal, or sterilization. Therefore I assume they mean some sort of prescription chemical birth control, although it doesn't have to be a pill (could be an implant, etc.) And it is the taking of this drug that they are "on", just like someone can be on allergy medicine or high on drugs. So I don't have a problem with that phrase.

I do have a problem when my friends talk about their "birth control" (aka the Pill), because it is misrepresentative!

Since this seems to be a common occurrence with your patients, can't you just ask the next follow-up question, "Are you on the pill?" I bet most of the ones that give you that answer are. I assume it's not the only medically inaccurate answer your patients give that requires a follow-up question from you.

I don't know anyone that has been mislead or hurt by the phrase. I don't think that people on the pill are unaware that using condoms is also a method of preventing pregnancy. And when teachers tell kids to use some form of birth control, I think they know the difference between that use of the word and being "on" birth control.

As pointed out above, I also agree that the correct term is contraception. But we don't always use the correct scientific term for everything in everyday speech.

I didn't vote because there was no neutral option for voting "no".

I really wish everyone would try to be concise and accurate when speaking, it just makes life easier! I try to be.

haha yes this bothers me

What a biased (and slightly mean) poll... I'm going to be honest, I refer to my birth control pill simply as "birth control" on a daily basis. My friends know what I'm referring to when my alarm goes off and I pop a pill every day. While I can understand why it would bother you, it doesn't bother me--and it has nothing to do with wanting my conversations to be "confusing" and "misrepresentative." If I was have an open discussion about methods of birth control with someone, then yes, I would refer to a pill contraceptive as a birth control pill: but for my daily life, it's not necessary to specify that it's a pill any more than it is for me to say "I'm going to use the bathroom, you know... The toilet."

I always say I am on the Depo shot that is my form of birth control.

When I say i use a diaphragm people look at me like "whhat?"

I don't really care how other people phrase it. Makes no difference in my life whatsoever.