In short:
Influencers and everyday women are posting their negative views about hormonal contraception.
asserted
Influencers → post → contraception
A recent study found the majority of TikToks about birth control were not created by medical professionals.
asserted
majority → find → professionals
The government has launched an online tool to help people navigate their options.
asserted
people → launch → options
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.
asserted
you → scroll → contraception
They are comments like:
"Birth control is literally one of the worst things you can put in your body as a woman.
asserted
you → put → woman
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.
asserted
you → search → options
Trends include women perusing the very long list of side effects that come with the contraceptive pill (which don't look too different to the papers accompanying other medication), videos where they compare what their body looked like before and after the pill, and a whole series on experiences coming off hormonal contraception.
asserted
body → include → contraception
To be clear, these particular videos aren't being made by health professionals.
asserted
videos → make → professionals
But they are nonetheless compelling and, according to health professionals, pose a serious problem.
uncertain
they → accord → problem
She said that while very little of the content floating around is "intentionally malicious" it is an issue.
asserted
it → say → content
"Very common themes that we're seeing about hormonal contraception include side effects and how common certain side effects can be," she said.
asserted
she → see → effects
"Things like weight gain, acne, it's often a theme that concerns a lot of younger women.
asserted
that → concern → women
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.
asserted
that → get → evidence
"
TikTok algorithm 'rewards engagement'
asserted
algorithm → rewards → engagement
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.
asserted
majority → publish → experiences
It also found there is generally a negative sentiment about hormonal contraception, especially the hormonal IUD.
asserted
It → find → contraception
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.
asserted
information → examine → 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.
asserted
cent → come → educators
Medical professionals accounted for just 10 per cent of videos.
Lead author Caroline de Moel said the study found that "overall the quality and reliability of the information was poor".
"Around half of the creators explicitly discouraged the use of hormonal contraception,"she said.
asserted
half → account → contraception,"she
"That includes the pill, implants, injections, hormonal IUDs etc.
"
asserted
That → include → pill
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."
asserted
them → promote → limitations
Dr de Moel said while there was no issue with people sharing their personal experiences online, they are case studies, not scientific evidence.
asserted
they → say → experiences
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.
asserted
they → provoke → views
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."
asserted
content → check → engagement
The study also found that about a third of content creators expressed distrust in healthcare professionals.
asserted
third → find → professionals
Avoiding social media is not the answer
Addressing that is no easy fix, and Dr de Moel says the answer isn't avoiding social media.
asserted
answer → avoid → 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".
asserted
they → think → time
"We want their expertise out there; it needs to compete with all the stuff that's not correct," she said.
asserted
she → want → stuff
It's a problem that the federal government has been contemplating too.
asserted
government → contemplate → that
Assistant Minister for Health and Women Rebecca White is concerned about the rise of misinformation when it comes to healthcare.
asserted
it → come → 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."
The federal government is hoping its latest initiative will make a difference.
asserted
initiative → see → difference
It has partnered with Health Direct to create the Contraception Options Finder.
asserted
It → partner → Finder
Spruiked 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".
asserted
people → spruike → 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.
"
asserted
White → design → choices
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."
asserted
them → make → professional
Dr Ong, who was involved in developing the tool, said it was created with an Australian audience in mind.
asserted
it → involve → 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.
asserted
she → give → PBS
"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.
uncertain
that → include → you
And Dr Ong also has a message for women who are getting their healthcare information from social media.
asserted
who → have → media
"Go for it but also take what you see with a pinch of salt," she said.
asserted
she → go → salt
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia