Misinformation about birth control is everywhere online

In Canada and elsewhere, use of the pill has dropped, especially among younger women (1,2,3). 

Online, misinformation about birth control is everywhere. On platforms like TikTok, most content about hormonal birth control is negative and based on personal stories. Very little of it (less than 10%!) comes from qualified health professionals (4,5).

The problem is that those stories stick. Emotional, anecdotal experiences are easier to relate to than numbers or statistics, which can make them feel more convincing when people are deciding what to do about birth control (6,7). These stories can be meaningful and validating, but without clear, reliable information alongside them, they can also fuel confusion and fear.

That confusion is made worse when people’s concerns are dismissed in medical settings (8,9). Feeling unheard, combined with misinformation that fuels mistrust in medical advice and research, can push many to look for answers elsewhere, often online, where nuance is missing and context gets lost (10,11,12,13).

And all of this creates an opening for opportunists to exploit people’s uncertainty (created by misinformation), spread fear, and roll back reproductive rights (14,15).

You deserve care that listens to your experiences and is backed by solid evidence. Both matter when making decisions about birth control.

This post was made in collaboration with @pwhrcanada