Videos on TikTok and YouTube aim to educate women about birth control

The following excerpt is from an editorial that first appeared in Stat News on November 5, 2024.

In a viral TikTok, a woman in the emergency room shares a message questioning why so many women in their 30s struggle with cancer and infertility, suggesting that long-term hormonal disruption of birth control is the cause. Another influencer mocks the FDA supplements that come with birth control, unfolding the long lists of side effects in videos to humorously use them as “blankets” for napping or as tools to help men face the harsh realities of their partners understand to prevent pregnancy. That TikTok received 2.6 million likes and 21,000 comments.

Such representations exaggerate side effects and spread misinformation that could lead to unwanted pregnancies and other problems. Contraception is under attack daily on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where influencers often point out the supposed dangers of hormonal contraceptives like the pill while urging viewers to stop using effective birth control and return to a more “natural” state.

In a 2023 study I conducted with a colleague, 74% of surveyed YouTube influencers who talked about birth control called for stopping birth control. A 2024 TikTok study by my team found that nearly 50% of the birth control-related posts we analyzed endorsed the same idea, with TikTok creators identifying 57 alleged negative side effects of hormonal contraceptives.

These claims are usually based on personal anecdotes rather than scientific evidence. My latest research suggests that when women ages 18 to 29 perceive an influencer as more trustworthy or with greater expertise, they are more likely to intend to use less effective non-hormonal options such as fertility tracking, also known as the rhythm method. to use, even if you are currently using hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, IUDs, implants, vaginal rings and injections. Today, the rhythm method often involves using period tracking apps to determine when fertility might be at its peak and then abstaining from sex.

As a scientist who has been using birth control pills for 15 years and has never experienced any negative side effects, I was shocked to see this content on my TikTok and Instagram feeds. Although I’ve never relied on menstrual cycle monitoring apps, I know several people who have, resulting in unwanted pregnancies, including that of a friend. Before using the tracking app, she took birth control pills, but wanted to find an alternative that didn’t require medication. An unwanted pregnancy was a severe shock for her and her partner. Such a scenario could have devastating consequences for a single mother.

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