diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-asgi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/asgi/__init__.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-asgi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/asgi/__init__.py
index bbf90499b7..a47b739a6c 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-asgi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/asgi/__init__.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-asgi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/asgi/__init__.py
@@ -527,8 +527,7 @@ class OpenTelemetryMiddleware:
             the current globally configured one is used.
         meter_provider: The optional meter provider to use. If omitted
             the current globally configured one is used.
-        exclude_receive_span: Optional flag to exclude the http receive span from the trace.
-        exclude_send_span: Optional flag to exclude the http send span from the trace.
+        exclude_spans: Optionally exclude http `send` and/or `receive` span from the trace.
     """
 
     # pylint: disable=too-many-branches
@@ -547,8 +546,7 @@ def __init__(
         http_capture_headers_server_request: list[str] | None = None,
         http_capture_headers_server_response: list[str] | None = None,
         http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields: list[str] | None = None,
-        exclude_receive_span: bool = False,
-        exclude_send_span: bool = False,
+        exclude_spans: list[typing.Literal["receive", "send"]] | None = None,
     ):
         # initialize semantic conventions opt-in if needed
         _OpenTelemetrySemanticConventionStability._initialize()
@@ -655,8 +653,10 @@ def __init__(
             )
             or []
         )
-        self.exclude_receive_span = exclude_receive_span
-        self.exclude_send_span = exclude_send_span
+        self.exclude_receive_span = (
+            "receive" in exclude_spans if exclude_spans else False
+        )
+        self.exclude_send_span = "send" in exclude_spans if exclude_spans else False
 
     # pylint: disable=too-many-statements
     async def __call__(
diff --git a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fastapi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/fastapi/__init__.py b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fastapi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/fastapi/__init__.py
index a4668a9f73..1319615fbd 100644
--- a/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fastapi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/fastapi/__init__.py
+++ b/instrumentation/opentelemetry-instrumentation-fastapi/src/opentelemetry/instrumentation/fastapi/__init__.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ def client_response_hook(span: Span, scope: dict[str, Any], message: dict[str, A
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
-from typing import Collection
+from typing import Collection, Literal
 
 import fastapi
 from starlette.routing import Match
@@ -232,8 +232,7 @@ def instrument_app(
         http_capture_headers_server_request: list[str] | None = None,
         http_capture_headers_server_response: list[str] | None = None,
         http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields: list[str] | None = None,
-        exclude_receive_span: bool = False,
-        exclude_send_span: bool = False,
+        exclude_spans: list[Literal["receive", "send"]] | None = None,
     ):
         """Instrument an uninstrumented FastAPI application.
 
@@ -253,8 +252,7 @@ def instrument_app(
             http_capture_headers_server_request: Optional list of HTTP headers to capture from the request.
             http_capture_headers_server_response: Optional list of HTTP headers to capture from the response.
             http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields: Optional list of HTTP headers to sanitize.
-            exclude_receive_span: Optional flag to exclude the http receive span from the trace.
-            exclude_send_span: Optional flag to exclude the http send span from the trace.
+            exclude_spans: Optionally exclude http `send` and/or `receive` span from the trace.
         """
         if not hasattr(app, "_is_instrumented_by_opentelemetry"):
             app._is_instrumented_by_opentelemetry = False
@@ -295,8 +293,7 @@ def instrument_app(
                 http_capture_headers_server_request=http_capture_headers_server_request,
                 http_capture_headers_server_response=http_capture_headers_server_response,
                 http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields=http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields,
-                exclude_receive_span=exclude_receive_span,
-                exclude_send_span=exclude_send_span,
+                exclude_spans=exclude_spans,
             )
             app._is_instrumented_by_opentelemetry = True
             if app not in _InstrumentedFastAPI._instrumented_fastapi_apps:
@@ -347,11 +344,8 @@ def _instrument(self, **kwargs):
             else parse_excluded_urls(_excluded_urls)
         )
         _InstrumentedFastAPI._meter_provider = kwargs.get("meter_provider")
-        _InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_receive_span = kwargs.get(
-            "exclude_receive_span"
-        )
-        _InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_send_span = kwargs.get(
-            "exclude_send_span"
+        _InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_spans = kwargs.get(
+            "exclude_spans"
         )
         fastapi.FastAPI = _InstrumentedFastAPI
 
@@ -403,8 +397,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
             http_capture_headers_server_request=_InstrumentedFastAPI._http_capture_headers_server_request,
             http_capture_headers_server_response=_InstrumentedFastAPI._http_capture_headers_server_response,
             http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields=_InstrumentedFastAPI._http_capture_headers_sanitize_fields,
-            exclude_receive_span=_InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_receive_span,
-            exclude_send_span=_InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_send_span,
+            exclude_spans=_InstrumentedFastAPI._exclude_spans,
         )
         self._is_instrumented_by_opentelemetry = True
         _InstrumentedFastAPI._instrumented_fastapi_apps.add(self)