interceptive

A drug or device that prevents pregnancy by interfering with the implantation of an embryo in the uterus.

Adjective

  1. Pertaining to the coordination, joining, and interaction or interference of a moving object with another (moving or stationary) object.
    • If there is an abnormal interceptive contact the transducer is jolted more than once in a single closure of the jaws and a double sound is produced (Fig. 29.4). - 1976, Derek John Anderson, Declan John Anderson, Bruce...
    • Even if fast interceptive actions are continuously influenced by visual information, then surely slower interceptive actions like catching are. - 2003, P.J. Beck, J.C. Dessing, C.E. Peper, D. Bullock, “Modelling the...
    • Interceptive actions are common in everyday life and are instrumental in helping humans to adapt to their complex and uncertain environments. The range of interceptive actions includes both fine and gross motor...
  2. Pertaining to the interruption of a trajectory or course of development to stop it or divert it to a new trajectory or course of development, as opposed to correction after the fact.
    • interceptive orthodontics
    • Identification and treatment of the disease in its early stages by the use of non-surgical techniques (interceptive caries treatment) therefore seem reasonable. - 2002, Anders Hugoson, Margit Falk, Sylvia Johansson,...
    • The preventative extension of interceptive migration controls is by no means particular to the UK or EU context, and has been developed most notoriously by states such as Australia and Canada ( Hyndman and Mountz , 2008...
  3. Pertaining to the prevention of pregnancy by interfering with the implantation of the embryo in the uterus.
    • Our calculations on the relationship between uterotrophic and interceptive activities support the concept that interruption of early pregnancy is one of the properties of an "estrogenic" compound (Carlborg, 1970). -...
    • The crude petroleum ether, chloroform and alcoholic extracts of the root administered orally at the single dose of 100 mg/kg bw given at the post implantation period showed 100 per cent interceptive activty in mature...
    • Since the pregnancy interceptive agents or the menses regulators may also influence the development of either trophoblasts or the maternal cells (epithelial and stromal) at the embryo attachment site, another in vitro...
  4. Pertaining to the approach and destruction of an attacking enemy force.
    • As soon as the Germans took the initial action, the French could have launched an interceptive strike. - 1981, Michael I. Handel, The Diplomacy of Surprise, Hitler, Nixon, Sadat, page 65:
    • This means that the United States will put into space an anti-missile system comprising a large number of small, highly intelligent interceptive rockets, rather than build a large scale multi-layer defensive shield in...
    • On the other hand, had the Americans sought to destroy the Japanese fleet before it sailed – while it was still training for its mission, war-gaming or otherwise making advance preparations – this would have been not an...

Origin

From intercept + -ive.

Noun

  1. A drug or device that prevents pregnancy by interfering with the implantation of an embryo in the uterus.
    • Interceptives are neither contraceptives nor abortifacients since they are unable to inhibit fertilization or to interfere with an established implantation in primates ( Morris & Van Wagenen, 1973). - 1980, Elsayed Saad...
    • Notelovitz and Bard also used 30mg of conjugated estrogen daily for five days in 359 women who requested an interceptive. - 1988, William M. Green, Rape, page 136:
    • Norman Farnsworth, Audrey S. Bingel, and others, in a two-part 1975 review of more than a thousand botanical and pharmacological references, list 225 plant species as " folkloric " contraceptives and/or interceptives. -...

Forms

interceptives