I’ve been a sex educator for six years. Why did I start doubting my contraception choices?
I’ve been a sex educator for six years. Why did I start doubting my contraception choices?
Milly Evans, a seasoned sex educator, has long been an authority on contraceptive methods. Yet, as she prepared to get a hormonal coil (IUS), she found herself uncertain about its suitability for her body. Social media had become a battleground of conflicting messages, with some content casting doubt on hormonal contraception. For six months, Evans hesitated, weighing the risks against her confidence in her knowledge.
Her hesitation wasn’t unique. In the digital age, young women often encounter debates about hormonal methods like the pill, coil, and implant. These discussions typically split into two groups: personal accounts of side effects and deliberately misleading posts that link hormones to ideological beliefs. Evans was most troubled by the latter, which she described as carrying a “right-wing, religious, largely American flavor.” These posts often promote ideas of “clean living” and “divine femininity,” framing hormonal contraception as a modern threat.
Lauren Haslam, a 25-year-old from Manchester, echoed similar concerns. She follows fitness and wellness influencers, whose posts sometimes depict hormonal birth control as unnatural. Haslam, who’s been on the combined pill for four years, credits it with easing symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. She notes the pill has “transformed my life,” but the online criticism has made her question whether her positive experience is being dismissed.
Anti-hormonal narratives take root online
In the US, anti-hormonal content has proliferated rapidly. A post featuring a new mother holding her unplanned child sparked widespread debate, with a comment under the image claiming birth control is “harmful to your health.” Another user described contraception as “sucks,” while a separate post shared a personal story of the pill causing depression. Even some with medical credentials contribute to this misinformation, as noted by psychosexual therapist Evie Plumb.
Dr. Fran Yarlett, medical director at the Lowdown, acknowledges that while certain claims are inaccurate, others stem from studies with questionable methods. She points out how assertions like the pill “shrinking clitorises” are often taken out of context. These stories, she says, can overshadow the benefits of hormonal contraception, leading to a shift in public perception.
UK clinics see growing hesitation
Such debates aren’t confined to screens. London GP Jenny Dhingra reports a noticeable rise in patient reluctance, with some citing fears about side effects after viewing social media content. The NHS lists common concerns—headaches, nausea, mood changes, weight gain, breast tenderness, and acne—but adds that these typically improve over time. It also notes that hormonal contraception slightly increases the risk of blood clots and breast cancer, though the overall risk remains “minimal.”
Jenny Hall, a UCL professor of reproductive health, highlights gaps in NHS data. She explains that statistics don’t account for people using the pill through pharmacies or devices that can stay in place for extended periods. Despite these limitations, the data suggests a trend: from 2018 to 2023, the share of women relying on hormonal methods for pregnancy prevention dropped, according to a study tracking thousands of abortion seekers in England and Wales. A separate analysis found negative side effects are discussed more often online than the advantages of contraception.
“Scary stories grab attention and spread quickly,” Hall says. “They shape how people view birth control, even if the science is nuanced.”
