Abortion: the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus such as: induced expulsion of a human fetus; a medical procedure for ending a pregnancy; spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation or miscarriage. Source: Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abortion. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022
Contraception (birth control): any method, medicine, or device used to prevent pregnancy.
Emergency contraception: emergency contraception (EC) within the designated period of time based on the method decreases the chance of pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. EC pills prevent or delay ovulation. EC via an IUD interrupts fertilization from occurring. Sources: Science Update: Hormonal IUD as effective as a copper IUD for emergency contraception and with less discomfort, NICHD-funded study suggests, https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/news/020421-levonorgestrel
CDC Reproductive Health: Emergency Contraception, https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/mmwr/spr/emergency.html
Extended prescription: at initial and return visits, provision, or prescription of up to a 1-year supply of birth control pills. This has been found to reduce unwanted discontinuation of the method and subsequent risk of pregnancy. Source: CDC 2016 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use
Health equity: everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care. Source: Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2017/05/what-is-health-equity-.html
Health promotion: the process of enabling people, individually and collectively, to increase control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health. Source: Health Promotion Glossary of Terms 2021, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240038349
Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC): contraceptive methods that require administration less than once per cycle or month. Included in the category of LARC are: copper intrauterine devices, progestogen-only intrauterine systems, progestogen-only injectable contraceptives, progestogen-only subdermal implants. LARC methods are the most effective form of reversible birth control.
Medication abortion: Abortion primarily with medications, including mifepristone, misoprostol, and misoprostol alone, regardless of the setting, context, gestational duration, or legal status; medication abortion can also safely occur outside of the formal health care system, as with self-managed medication abortion. https://academyhealth.org/publications/2024-03/documenting-ripple-effects-dobbs-health-equity-and-health-services-research
Miscarriage: spontaneous abortion or miscarriage is defined as the loss of pregnancy less than 20 weeks gestation. Source: Dugas C, Slane VH. Miscarriage. [Updated 2022 Jun 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532992/
Procedural abortion: abortion primarily with instrumentation, including uterine aspiration (manual or electric), dilation and curettage, dilation and evacuation, or dilation and extraction; involves a mechanical intervention that is facilitated by a skilled clinician. https://academyhealth.org/publications/2024-03/documenting-ripple-effects-dobbs-health-equity-and-health-services-research
Provider: health care practitioners who provide care. These include nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, physicians, physician assistants, mental health professionals, health promotion specialists, pharmacists, and counselors.
Quick start: starting a contraceptive method at any time (i.e., at the time of appointment) if a health care provider can be reasonably certain a person capable of becoming pregnant is not pregnant (<7 days after start of normal menses, has not had sexual intercourse since the start of last menses, has been correctly and consistently using a reliable method of contraception, < 7 days after spontaneous or induced abortion, is within 4 weeks postpartum, is fully or nearly fully breastfeeding).
Reproductive health: “Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.” Source: World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/westernpacific/health-topics/reproductive-health
Reproductive well-being framework: “...all people have equitable access to the information, services, systems and support they need to have control over their bodies, and to make their own decisions related to sexuality and reproduction throughout their lives.” All people are respected, autonomous, in control and surrounded by communities and systems of support within this framework. Source: Axelson SM, Sealy GA, McDonald-Mosley RE. Reproductive well-being: a framework for expanding contraceptive access. Am J Public Health. 2022;112(S5):S504–S507. DOI:
Safer sex delivery service: a campus resource usually organized by health promotion staff where students are able to request for delivery of safer sex supplies, including items such as condoms, dental dams, and lubricant, pregnancy tests and emergency contraception.
Stillbirth: spontaneous death or loss of a fetus at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/stillbirth/facts.html
