Concerns Around Hormonal Contraception on Social Media

Milly Evans, a sex educator, has a deep understanding of contraception. Yet, as she approached the idea of getting a hormonal coil (IUS), she was overwhelmed with doubts about its suitability for her body.

Her social media was inundated with posts that discouraged hormonal contraception. It led her to ponder whether the potential downsides were worth the risk. For six months, the 26-year-old kept postponing her appointment.

“Some of the claims I encountered were so persuasive that they made me rethink what I thought I knew,” she reflects. This isn’t an isolated incident—many young women online are navigating similar discussions about options like the pill, coil, and implant.

The discourse typically breaks into two main categories: women sharing their personal side effects and others spreading misinformation linking hormonal methods to broader ideologies.

It’s the misinformation that unsettles her the most. Evans, who has been certified for six years, mentions a trend in which content promoting “clean living” and “divine femininity” has a discernible “right-wing, religious, mainly American vibe.”

Lauren Haslam, 25, from Manchester, experiences this too. Her feed, filled with fitness and wellness influencers, often features posts that “demonize” hormonal options as “unnatural.” Haslam, who has benefited from the combined pill for four years, says it has significantly reduced her premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms, which included severe cramps and volatile moods.

Despite the pill’s life-changing impact on her, she feels that such negative content undermines her experience and triggers doubts about her choices.

In the U.S., criticism of hormonal contraception has surged on social platforms in recent years. A simple search reveals a young mother seeking contraception advice on Instagram, with a comment calling birth control “so bad for you” receiving over 800 likes.

Other comments echo similar sentiments, expressing disdain for the pill and claiming it caused depression. Alarmingly, even individuals claiming medical expertise are spreading inaccuracies online, according to Evie Plumb, a psychosexual and relationship therapist.

Dr. Fran Yarlett, medical director at a women’s health platform, acknowledges that while some criticism may be unfounded, others stem from limited studies with questionable validity. Examples include claims that the pill can “shrink your clitoris.”

This shift in mindset isn’t confined to digital spaces. In the UK, sexual health experts report that such discussions are increasingly prevalent in clinical settings. London GP Jenny Dhingra noted a rise in patients expressing aversion to hormonal methods, often citing concerns about side effects they’ve encountered on social media.

The NHS indicates that while hormonal contraceptives can have side effects like headaches and mood swings, these symptoms generally diminish over time. They also caution that while there are slight increases in the risks of blood clots and breast cancer, they emphasize that these risks remain “very low.”

Quantifying how these online conversations influence contraception usage in the UK is challenging. NHS data fails to account for women obtaining the pill via pharmacies or the longer prescribing periods of some devices, as pointed out by Jenny Hall, a professor of reproductive health at UCL.

However, she suggests that overall trends indicate a move away from hormonal contraception. A study released last year revealed a decline in the use of hormonal methods among women seeking abortions in England and Wales from 2018 to 2023.

Another review found that negative side effects are discussed “much more frequently” on social media than the benefits of contraception.

Evans points out that tragic stories about side effects catch attention and circulate widely, whereas those touting positive experiences often do not. “People gravitate towards extreme negative accounts—the ones where someone suffered a severe issue,” she says.

Sex educator Kerry Wolstenholme agrees that such horror stories discourage young people from considering contraception altogether.

If women are stepping back from hormonal contraceptives, what are they turning to instead? Experts note that fertility tracking apps are gaining traction since they can be promoted on social media without a prescription, unlike traditional methods.

Some women proudly advocate these apps as the “natural” alternative. Utilizing data like their last period and body temperature, the apps can indicate fertile windows and suggest when to avoid unprotected intercourse.

Still, experts warn that many of these apps are more suited for tracking cycles or aiding conception rather than effectively preventing pregnancy.

Healthcare professionals acknowledge that side effects from hormonal contraception can indeed affect some users, but they also stress that the benefits of these methods are not receiving equal representation.

Kayla Healey from MSI Reproductive Choices points out that hormonal contraceptives can help mitigate heavy periods and alleviate PMS symptoms. They are also frequently prescribed to address painful conditions like adenomyosis and endometriosis.

Amid the online debate, Evans highlights that many women are simply expressing their genuine frustrations, recounting their negative experiences with hormonal methods. However, experts emphasize that these stories often lack essential context regarding the probability and frequency of such side effects.

Some express feeling disregarded when their concerns about risks seem trivialized, and they’re weary of the “contraceptive burden,” especially considering there are no FDA-approved hormonal options for men, although trials for gels and pills are underway.

Evans worries that genuine frustrations are feeding narratives by those opposing birth control, including voices that advocate for women primarily to bear children.

Ultimately, Evans did not allow the social media noise to dictate her decision; she had a hormonal coil inserted earlier this week. After a thoughtful discussion with her healthcare provider, she felt “confident” in her choice.

Following her Instagram post about the experience, she received messages from followers relieved to see someone sharing a positive perspective, as they had been dissuaded by contrasting online content.