Reproductive coercion is the deception, lying, or deceit by one sexual partner of the other regarding the partners’ agreed birth control and sexually-transmitted-disease-protection practices. Reproductive coercion can take many forms, and may be perpetrated by women or men. For example, one partner may falsely represent to the other partner the use or continued use of birth control, or otherwise sabotage the partners’ agreed birth control practices. Although this behavior may result in nonconsensual sexual contact, the law generally does not recognize rape or fraud charges based on such behavior—due in part to the difficulty in proving such matters. And the allegation or proof of such behavior will not change a parent’s child support obligations.

In Maryland, reproductive coercion is not explicitly defined in the state's criminal statutes. However, certain forms of reproductive coercion could potentially be addressed under existing laws related to sexual assault, fraud, or domestic violence, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. For instance, if reproductive coercion involves physical tampering with birth control, it could potentially fall under assault or domestic violence statutes. Despite this, proving reproductive coercion in a court of law can be challenging due to the difficulty in providing evidence of deceit or sabotage regarding birth control. Furthermore, Maryland law does not allow allegations or proof of reproductive coercion to alter a parent's child support obligations. Child support is determined based on the best interests of the child and the financial circumstances of the parents, not on the conditions under which the child was conceived.