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A recent study reveals that the majority of TikTok videos discussing hormonal contraception are created by influencers and non-medical professionals, spreading misinformation about side effects and fertility concerns that health experts warn can lead to dangerous health decisions.
Influencers and everyday women are posting their negative views about hormonal contraception. A recent study found the majority of TikToks about birth control were not created by medical professionals.
If you are a woman on TikTok, you've almost certainly scrolled to a video of someone commenting about women's contraception and its negative side effects.
"Birth control is literally one of the worst things you can put in your body as a woman. ""Our generation is literally the clinical trial for the pill. " If you search contraception, the pill or IUD in the app, it won't take long before you fall into a void of misinformation and earnest women sharing their experiences or views of different contraceptive options.
Trends include women perusing the very long list of side effects that come with the contraceptive pill , videos where they compare what their body looked like before and after the pill, and a whole series on experiences coming off hormonal contraception. To be clear, these particular videos aren't being made by health professionals. The creators behind them are influencers, 'naturopaths' and everyday women.
But they are nonetheless compelling and, according to health professionals, pose a serious problem. Dr Evonne Ong says women who have positive experiences are less likely to talk about them on social media. She said that while very little of the content floating around is "intentionally malicious" it is an issue.
"Very common themes that we're seeing about hormonal contraception include side effects and how common certain side effects can be," she said. "We also get concerns about future fertility, that being on hormonal contraception can prevent you from becoming pregnant down the line, which again is not something that is supported by clinical evidence.
"A study published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics earlier this year found the majority of videos published on TikTok about birth control were created by non-medical professionals and presented personal experiences. It also found there is generally a negative sentiment about hormonal contraception, especially the hormonal IUD. A 2025 study by Latrobe University, which examined 100 videos with nearly 5 billion views collectively, found the information on TikTok undermines patients' ability to confidently make informed decisions.
Half of those videos came from "general uploaders", 15 per cent were from people who called themselves hormone health coaches, and another 15 per cent from self-labelled health educators. Lead author Caroline de Moel said the study found that "overall the quality and reliability of the information was poor".
"That includes the pill, implants, injections, hormonal IUDs etc."Many promoted so-called 'natural' methods such as cycle tracking, often without explaining the limitations or conditions that are required for them to be effective. " Dr de Moel said while there was no issue with people sharing their personal experiences online, they are case studies, not scientific evidence.
"The problem with TikTok is the content that provokes the most emotional reactions such as fear or anger … they get the most views, comments and shares. "The algorithm doesn't check if the content is accurate; it just rewards engagement so the most visible content is not the most reliable one. " The study also found that about a third of content creators expressed distrust in healthcare professionals.
Addressing that is no easy fix, and Dr de Moel says the answer isn't avoiding social media. In fact, she thinks there's an opportunity for healthcare professionals to spend a little more time creating accurate and engaging content, with the caveat of "if they have time".
"We want their expertise out there; it needs to compete with all the stuff that's not correct," she said. The government's Contraception Options Finder uses an easy-to-take quiz. Assistant Minister for Health and Women Rebecca White is concerned about the rise of misinformation when it comes to healthcare.
"We see that particularly when it comes to women's healthcare and specifically when it comes to contraceptive care," she said. "There's a lot of mis and disinformation that is confusing for people as they're making decisions about their contraception choices. "It has partnered with Health Direct to create theSpruiked as the first of its kind in Australia, the government says it'll help people determine the best contraceptive options for them, based on evidence, using an "easy-to-take quiz".
"It's designed to provide evidence-based information for men and women and gender diverse people to make decisions about their contraceptive choices," Ms White said. "It's about making sure they've got the right facts before them, based on what is best for them, for them to then have an informed discussion with their healthcare professional. "(Dr Ong, who was involved in developing the tool, said it was created with an Australian audience in mind.
"It gives a really good indication of particularly which medications and options are funded by the Australian government under the PBS and which ones aren't," she said. "It includes a quiz that will ask more about you, your health needs, your preferences, and give you some options that may suit you and options that may be less suited to you. " And Dr Ong also has a message for women who are getting their healthcare information from social media.
"People are more likely to publish things when they've had a bad experience with them because they want to warn the public. "They are coming from a place of good intention generally, but it's important to remember that they are only a handful of people. "People who have had generally really good experiences are perhaps less likely to talk about them on social media. "
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