Do Birth Control Side Effects Make It Worth Skipping?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Short Wave – "Do Birth Control Side Effects Make It Worth Skipping?"

Date: November 10, 2025
Hosts: Emily Kwong (NPR), Katia Riddle (Science Desk Correspondent)
Featured Guest: Dr. Jennifer Conti (Obstetrician Gynecologist, Stanford University)

---

Episode Overview

This Short Wave episode dives into a timely and contentious topic: misinformation about hormonal birth control, especially as it spreads among health influencers on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Hosts Emily Kwong and Katia Riddle, with expert input from Dr. Jennifer Conti, explore how these influencers’ narratives impact public perception, the real risks and side effects of contraceptives, and why evidence-based conversation with healthcare professionals is critical.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Rise of Health Influencers and Misinformation

[00:25-01:29]

• Katia Riddle flags a trend: health influencers now hold significant sway over healthcare decisions, especially for under-35s.
  • 38% of respondents in an Edelman survey trust social media over physicians.
• Influencers are spreading unverified, sometimes outright false, claims about birth control.
  • Common claims include destroyed gut biome, skin issues, depression, weight changes, loss of libido, and even personality changes.
  • Katia: “Some of those [claims] are totally manufactured. Hormonal birth control does not change your personality.” [02:03]

2. The Scope of the Problem on Social Media

[02:29-04:55]

• A Latrobe University study analyzed 100 top TikTok videos on contraception:
  • Only 10% were by medical professionals.
  • Over half discouraged hormonal birth control and a third explicitly distrusted healthcare professionals.
  • Katia: “There was a ‘prominent prevalence of misinformation’ is how they phrased it.” [04:44]
• Emily observes that this trend pulls people into “a bit of a rabbit hole of perhaps conspiracy-minded approaches to thinking about contraception.” [04:55]

3. Real-World Impact: Clinical Encounters

[05:05-07:57]

• Dr. Shereen Ghorbani (Planned Parenthood, Utah) notes that access to reproductive info is already hard in rural/restrictive-law states, amplifying reliance on influencers.
• Dr. Jennifer Conti regularly has to debunk social media myths in clinic.
  • She emphasizes empathy when patients quote online stories:
    Dr. Conti: “Yes, absolutely, I understand that that sounds hard. Here’s why that’s sort of overblown or not completely accurate. Like, that's only a part of the picture.” [06:05]
• Patient stories from influencers (like embedded IUDs) get widely shared but are extremely rare—e.g., uterine perforation occurs in about 1 in 1,000 cases, and is treatable.
  • Katia: “People posting about these things on social media, of course, don’t have an obligation to explain these statistics.” [07:29]

4. Context is Key: Actual Risks vs. Perception

[07:57-09:49]

• Outlier negative testimonials online often lack vital context, especially about likelihood and treatability.
• Dr. Conti: “Much more common…is an unplanned pregnancy without the use of contraception.” [08:19]
• Doctors stress the need for individualized conversations—neither AI nor Google can account for personal medical nuances:
  • Dr. Conti: “There’s no way that Google or AI is going to have your exact answer to your exact question for your exact body…” [08:55]
• The importance of professional, nuanced risk assessment, especially for known complications like rare blood clots.

5. Advocacy and Barriers to Care

[10:02-10:24]

• Many women report feeling dismissed by providers or having limited access/time for thorough healthcare conversations.
  • Katia: “You may have to advocate for yourself… or even try different providers.” [10:13]
• Emily notes the added challenge of lack of access to care for many.

6. Understanding and Weighing Side Effects

[10:26-11:33]

• Katia and Jeffrey Jensen, MD (Oregon Health and Science University), highlight that some uncertainty about side effects is unavoidable.
  • Doctors can clarify likelihood: “Common, uncommon, extremely rare.”
  • The risk of not using birth control—unintended pregnancy—often outweighs most side effects.
  • Dr. Jensen: “The exposure to pregnancy means… their ability to avoid it means the ability to be equal players in all aspects of modern life.” [11:08]

7. Pregnancy as Medical and Societal Context

[11:45-12:40]

• Katia contextualizes pregnancy as both a health risk and a factor limiting women's independence and earning power.
  • “The critique of birth control is… not taking into account the full picture. They're not talking about the risks involved in having an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.” [12:08]

8. Final Takeaways

[12:25-13:02]

• Discussions about hormonal birth control need nuance and full context, which social media rarely provides.
• Katia: “It is important to consider your own risk tolerance for pregnancy and access to reproductive freedoms when thinking about the role of birth control.” [12:40]
• Emily encourages listeners to ask their own “health vs. hype” questions for the show.

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Misinformation’s Reach:
  Katia: “Over a third of Gen Z is getting their medical advice from sources like Instagram or TikTok?” [01:08]
• On Testimonial Stories:
  Dr. Jennifer Conti: “It’s just kind of an exercise with each person… okay, so this was only an n of 1, meaning only one person had this experience.” [06:33]
• On Context and Probability:
  Emily: “Without that context and knowing the probable risks, people don’t really know how to think about birth control.” [07:57]
• On Limits of AI Advice:
  Dr. Conti: “You are your own unique being and, you know, even AI, that's pooling tons and tons of different people's experiences, not your own.” [09:41]
• On Pregnancy & Social Impact:
  Dr. Jensen: “…the ability to avoid [pregnancy] means their ability to be equal players in all aspects of modern life.” [11:18]
• On Comprehensive Conversation:
  Katia: “Hormonal birth control needs to be talked about in a far more comprehensive, nuanced way.” [12:25]

---

Notable Timestamps by Segment

• Social Media Influence on Health: [00:25 – 01:29]
• Prevalence of Misinformation on TikTok: [02:29 – 04:55]
• Impact at Clinics & Real Patient Stories: [05:05 – 07:57]
• Doctors’ Strategies for Addressing Claims: [06:05 – 06:49]
• Power and Limits of Online Advice: [08:55 – 09:49]
• Patient Advocacy and Barriers: [10:02 – 10:24]
• Side Effects vs. Pregnancy Risk: [10:40 – 12:08]
• Summary and Call for Nuance: [12:25 – 13:02]

---

Summary Tone

Informative, empathetic, lightly humorous, and accessible. The hosts maintain a conversational, non-judgmental tone, aiming to empower listeners with context and evidence rather than fear.

---

Conclusion

This episode explores why nuanced, science-based information about hormonal birth control is essential—and why it can be difficult to find amid the noise of social media “health” influencers. Main takeaway: medical decisions are best made in partnership with qualified healthcare providers who can consider personal histories, not through viral outlier testimonials or AI search results.

---

For questions or topics, listeners can write to the show at [e-mail].

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

This message comes from U.S. bank. Simplify how you do business with business Essentials. A powerful combination of no monthly maintenance fee, checking and card payment processing. Deposit products are offered by U.S. bank National association member FDIC.

[Emily Kwong]

You're listening to Short Wave from NPR. Hey, Short Wavers. Emily Kwong here with Science Desk correspondent Katia Riddle. Hi.

[Katia Riddle]

Hey, Emily. So I want to talk about a force that's having a pervasive effect on health care right now.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, okay. I bet you're going to talk about funding cuts.

[Katia Riddle]

Nope, it is not funding cuts. Also not insurance.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, that was my next guest.

[Katia Riddle]

Well, those things are important, too. But today I want to talk about influencers. Let's talk about things that were wrecking my hormones, supplements. I love that you may not know.

[Emily Kwong]

About things that I drink every single.

[Katia Riddle]

Morning is a certified holistic coach.

[Emily Kwong]

Mindset, healing manifestation, all that good stuff.

[Katia Riddle]

So, Emily, these health influencers have especially captured the attention of adults under 35. According to a global survey from the communications firm Edelman, 38% of these respondents say they trust social media over a real physician.

[Emily Kwong]

That's a very high percentage. So you're saying over a third of Gen Z is getting their medical advice from sources like Instagram or TikTok?

[Katia Riddle]

Yes. And the problem with this is a lot of these health influencers are peddling misinformation. Most of them don't have medical degrees or training and are offering a lot of unproven wellness strategies and unproven medical treatments.

[Emily Kwong]

What's an example of that?

[Katia Riddle]

So one of the pockets of the health influencer space that is especially concerning to me is birth control, specifically the hormonal kind. And while hormonal birth control can have side effects, we have a significant body of research that shows it is safe for most people, and it's also extremely effective at preventing pregnancy. But many health influencers are fixated on what they perceive as dangerous, dangerous or extreme side effects.

[Emily Kwong]

Okay, so when you've watched these videos, what kinds of side effects are people talking about and what kinds of claims are they making?

[Katia Riddle]

All kinds of things. There are claims that it can, for example, destroy your gut biome, damage your skin, make you depressed, make you gain weight, make you lose your sex drive, even change your personality. Some of those are totally manufactured. Hormonal birth control does not change your personality. Some of these claims could have truth to them, but they're really just not being accurately represented.

[Jennifer Conti]

Hmm.

[Emily Kwong]

How prevalent is hormonal birth control misinformation on, like, TikTok?

[Katia Riddle]

So one study analyzing 100 TikTok videos about contraception showed that over half of the creators explicitly rejected hormonal birth control, and more than one in three expressed a distrust of healthcare professionals. Some of the videos I watched were making claims backed by no scientific evidence at all.

[Emily Kwong]

Well, in that case, let's look look at what scientific evidence does support today on the show. What's healthy and what's hype when it comes to hormonal birth control? You're listening to Shortwave, the Science podcast from NPR.

[Commercial Announcer]

This message comes from AT&T. America's First Network is also its fastest and most Reliable based on RootMetrics United States Root Score Report 1H2025 tested with best commercially available smartphones on three national mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. RootMetrics rankings are not an endorsement of AT&T. When you compare, there's no comparison. AT&T support for this podcast and the following message come from Indeed. Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes with Indeed Sponsored jobs. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit [e-mail] shortwave terms and conditions apply.

[Sponsor Announcer]

This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices like full service, wealth management and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on Think or swim. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[Emily Kwong]

Okay Katia, let's talk about health influencer videos. I have definitely seen them, especially since the pandemic. You specific specifically looked at ones having to do with contraception, hormonal birth control. What is the scope of the problem here?

[Katia Riddle]

Okay, to be clear, not all TikTok videos about contraception are inaccurate. But a study from Latrobe University in Australia, that same study I mentioned earlier that analyzed 100 of the most popular videos on birth control. It found that only 10% were created by actual medical professionals. And there was a quote prominent prevalence of misinformation is how they phrased it. All of this is having an impact at the doctor's office.

[Emily Kwong]

A lot of people in our communities are starting to, I would say go down a bit of a rabbit hole of perhaps sort of conspiracy minded approaches to thinking about contraception.

[Katia Riddle]

Shereen Ghorbani is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood in Utah. She says that in part of that state it's difficult to get reproductive care and information. Other parts of the country are experiencing this too. Like many states, they have restrictive laws around abortion since the federal right to that procedure was overturn. And access to healthcare of all kinds can be especially hard to find in rural places. She fears her patients who are looking for information are getting taken advantage of.

[Emily Kwong]

They are being influenced by social media influencers who are personally benefiting off of trafficking in incomplete and misleading information. Is this just a rural issue where this problem exists?

[Katia Riddle]

No, it's equal opportunity. Jennifer Conti, an obstetrician gynecologist at Stanford University, says that every day she has to disabuse people of things that they've heard on social media. When she's having these conversations, she's really careful not to lead with accusations, whether.

[Jennifer Conti]

It'S their own experience or what they saw online. Like, yes, absolutely, I understand that that sounds hard. Here's why. That's sort of overblown or not completely accurate. Like, that's only a part of the picture.

[Emily Kwong]

And when patients bring up their concerns, are they mostly talking about the side effects?

[Katia Riddle]

Yes. Horror stories about incredibly rare side effects come up a lot. Contraception, like many other medications, can have side effects, even serious or life threatening ones.

[Jennifer Conti]

It's just kind of an exercise with each person trying to, you know, parcel out with them. Okay, so this was only an n of 1, meaning only one person had this experience.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, so she's helping patients make sense of their risk in light of the fact that, like, one individual had this complication type of stuff.

[Katia Riddle]

Exactly. She said she's had to really learn how to talk to her patients about these individual testimonies that they heard about birth control going wrong to put them in perspective. Yeah, like, here's an influencer. She goes by the Lizzie Morris. She talks about her decision to get an IUD in a post on TikTok, and I do not know the risks.

[Emily Kwong]

Or anything of having this iud.

[Katia Riddle]

So in the video, she's pointing to a picture of an X ray and she says that's where her IUD got embedded in her uterus.

[Emily Kwong]

Right there. That is the wall of my uterus. Had to get it surgically removed via hysteroscopy. Oh, so this patient clearly had a bad experience with their iud. What happened?

[Katia Riddle]

So this complication is called uterine perforation, which is a real thing, but it's very rare with IUDs about one in a thousand, according to one study. It's also highly treatable and can often be addressed with a relatively brief medical procedure. But people posting about these things on social media, of course, don't have an obligation to explain these statistics and they necessarily motivated to represent the chances of them happening or not happening.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah, the Problem, though, is without that context and knowing the probable risks, people don't really know how to think about birth control.

[Katia Riddle]

Exactly. OB GYN Jennifer Conti says one problem with highlighting these stories is that they often lead with fear. Lizzie's experience, for example. It does sound horrible, but I really cannot overstate how rare it is. Much more common, says Conti, is an unplanned pregnancy without the use of contraception.

[Emily Kwong]

Okay, so Kadia, what should people do if they're worried about hormonal birth control?

[Katia Riddle]

Above all, what I heard from doctors is you need to have a conversation with them or another trained medical professional, not an influencer, not chatgpt. I talked to several doctors for this story who emphasize that, you know, you can have all the information in the world, but at this point, we just don't have robots that can give you the kind of personalized examination that a human can. Again, here's obgyn Jennifer Conti.

[Jennifer Conti]

There's no way that Google or AI is going to have your exact answer to your exact question for your exact body, because we all have different bodies. And so you can go down a Google or a Reddit rabbit hole and try to find exactly what's going on with you, but it doesn't have the answer.

[Katia Riddle]

She says that there needs to be an exchange of information in these conversations.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah, like a true back and forth between you and a medical doctor to figure out what's best for you as an individual.

[Katia Riddle]

And, and just one example, there are a number of health conditions that could change the odds of someone having blood clots. That's a known potential complication for birth control pills. That is for most people, very, very rare. But these are the kinds of things human doctors can't take into account.

[Jennifer Conti]

You are your own unique being and, you know, even AI, that's pooling tons and tons of different people's experiences, not your own.

[Emily Kwong]

Gotcha. So when you're deciding your birth control, find a human professional to help. That's, that's pretty clear. But I gotta ask, like, what if you're worried that you can't find someone who will really listen, you know?

[Katia Riddle]

Totally. This is a real issue. Many women do consistently feel like health professionals dismiss their concerns. And there are also very real constraints on providers time. So you may have to advocate for yourself in order to have thorough conversations or even try different providers.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah. And that's all assuming you have access to healthcare at all. Right. Which not everyone does.

[Katia Riddle]

Yes, exactly.

[Jennifer Conti]

Yeah.

[Emily Kwong]

I wanna dwell on the side effects just a bit more because it does seem to be the primary concern that people have. And that's why they're going to TikTok and finding these outlier stories to make their decisions with. What should people do when it comes to side effects?

[Katia Riddle]

You can't know with almost any medication for sure what the side effects are gonna be. And that can be really scary. However, one thing doctors can generally tell you is how likely the side effects are. Common, uncommon, extremely rare. It's. It's important to weigh these odds alongside the odds of getting pregnant. Like a major side effect of not taking birth control is pregnancy. I talked about this with a gynecologist from Oregon Health and Science University. His name is Jeffrey Jensen.

[Commercial Announcer]

Well, one of the things that always surprises me is that we're in this generation of social media, there has been no context to what the exposure to pregnancy means to women. And the ability to avoid it means their ability to be equal players in all aspects of modern life.

[Jennifer Conti]

Huh.

[Emily Kwong]

I hadn't really thought about pregnancy in this way as like a medical event, you know, but it is. It is. And when he says equal players in all aspects of modern life, what does he mean by that?

[Katia Riddle]

Well, pregnancy itself is a risk. It can be physically dangerous. But more than that, parenthood comes with a real societal tax. Before birth control was widely available, having children significantly prevented women from being independent. It's still the case that women who have children earn less money, engage in more unpaid labor, and report that having children affords them fewer career opportunities. And the trouble with these health influencer videos is that their critique of birth control is just really, really not taking into account the full picture. They're not talking about the risks involved in having an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah, what I'm hearing you say, basically, is that hormonal birth control needs to be talked about in a far more comprehensive, nuanced way. That's really important. And being comprehensive and nuanced is not the strength of social media.

[Katia Riddle]

Yeah. To be clear, we're not weighing in on having a kid or not. Obviously, there are lots of reasons to have children, but it is important to consider your own risk tolerance for pregnancy and access to reproductive freedoms when thinking about the role of birth control.

[Emily Kwong]

Katie Ariddle, science correspondent, thank you for bringing this to short wave.

[Katia Riddle]

Thanks for having me, Emily.

[Emily Kwong]

Short wavers, if you have a health versus hype question, something you've been seeing on social media that you're not sure about, please email it to us. We'[e-mail] this episode was produced by Hannah Chin. It was Edited by Rebecca Ramirez Tyler Jones checked the facts. Kwesi Lee was the audio engineer. Beth Donovan is our vice president of Podcasting. I'm Emily Kwong and you're listening to Short Wave, the science podcast from NPR.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Support for NPR comes from DonorsChoose. In a time full of uncertainty, one thing is Students are ready to learn, to dream, to grow. But they need fully stocked classrooms to thrive. Every pencil, book and paintbrush funded through DonorsChoose helps unlock creativity, confidence and a brighter future. Learn how to [e-mail] BackToSchool support for NPR and the following message come from Warby Parker the One Stop Shop for all your vision needs. They offer expertly crafted prescription eyewear plus contacts, eye exams and more for everything you need to see. Visit your nearest Warby Parker store or head to warbyparker.com this message comes from Solidigm.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yesterday's approach to storage can't meet the demands of today's AI ambitions. Bigger, faster and more energy efficient Solidigm solid state storage solutions are optimized for AI. Learn more at storage4ai.com.