Influencers are spreading dangerous misinformation about birth control

In a viral TikTok, a woman in the emergency room shares a message asking why so many women in their 30s are struggling with cancer and infertility and suggests that the long-term hormonal disruption of birth control pills is the cause. Another influencer pokes fun at the FDA inserts that come with birth control, revealing the long lists of side effects in videos to humorously repurpose them as “blankets” for sleep or as tools to help men understand the harsh realities their partners face to prevent pregnancy. That TikTok received 2.6 million likes and 21,000 comments.

Such portrayals exaggerate side effects and spread misinformation that could lead to unwanted pregnancies and other problems. Contraception faces daily attacks on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where influencers often highlight the perceived dangers of hormonal birth control like the pill, while urging viewers to discontinue effective care and return to a more “natural” state.

In a 2023 study that I did with a colleague, 74% of sampled YouTube influencers who talked about birth control encouraged discontinuing contraception. A 2024 TikTok study my team found that nearly 50 percent of the birth control posts we analyzed promoted the same idea, with TikTok creators identifying 57 alleged negative side effects of hormonal contraceptives.

These claims are usually based on personal anecdotes, not scientific evidence. My last one research suggests that when women aged 18-29 perceive an influencer as more trustworthy or as having greater expertise, they are more likely to intend to use less effective non-hormonal options such as fertility tracking , called the rhythm method, even though I currently use it. hormonal contraceptives such as the pill, IUDs, implants, vaginal rings and injections. Today, the rhythm method often involves using period tracking apps to identify when you might be most fertile and abstaining from sex then.

As a scientist and birth control pill user of 15 years who has never experienced negative side effects, I was shocked to see this content on my TikTok and Instagram feeds. While I’ve never relied on period tracking apps, I know several people who have, resulting in unwanted pregnancies, including a friend’s. Before using the tracking app, she used the birth control pill, but wanted to find an alternative that didn’t involve taking medication. An unintended pregnancy was a severe shock to her and her partner. Such a scenario could be devastating for a single mother.

These apps, often marketed as “natural” alternatives, are not only unsafe, but expensive to boot. Fertility thermometers alone can cost up to $300, with monthly app subscriptions reaching $12 a month, while most birth control methods are available for free through insurance and Medicaid.

Although much of the birth control content on social media is negative, some has sparked institutional change. For example, videos describing painful experiences with IUD insertion gained significant attention. Content creators shared their personal stories, likening the pain to an “explosion of cramps” or feeling “cut or torn inside.”

These viral stories have drawn attention to the lack of pain management during IUD procedures, which many providers underestimate. In response to this cry, The CDC recently updated its guidelines to recommend offering pain management strategies such as lidocaine to numb the cervix and discouraging the routine use of misoprostol, which is recommended only in specific cases. This shows how social media can bring about change, but also demonstrates the danger of allowing misinformation to dominate these platforms. For example, posts about IUD insertion suggest that all women will experience severe pain, which is not the case, and may scare many women away from using an effective contraceptive. As described in a recent New York Times op-ed, the CDC’s directive is a good step forward, but it doesn’t go far enough to address women’s health issues.

Beyond birth control, women’s health as a whole faces significant challenges on social media. Recent research currently under peer review indicates that many young women record their facial expressions during Pap tests to convey the discomfort and pain they are experiencing. These videos can often increase anxiety and discourage women from attending essential cervical cancer tests, which are already in decline across different age and racial demographics in the US

To address these concerns, physicians and regulators should partner with social media influencers to disseminate evidence-based information. Research by Matt Motta and colleagues at Harvard University showed that such collaborations can counter mental health misinformation on platforms like TikTok. A similar approach should be explored for many facets of women’s health. For example, health care organizations or universities could work with women’s health influencers to address misinformation about hormonal contraception. Health organizations could create a series of short, engaging videos that address common myths about hormonal contraceptives, such as misconceptions about the link between cancer and hormonal contraception. These influencers could be identified in the searches conducted in my studies.

Social media can benefit us in many ways as a health promotion tool. But we shouldn’t allow this modern convenience to hold us back in women’s health, perpetuating fear and misinformation instead of empowering informed choices.

Emily Pfender, Ph.D., is an associate fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, a postdoctoral fellow at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and an affiliate of the Center for Health Communication at the University of Delaware.