Contraception misconceptions? A doctor’s take in the age of social media

OB-GYN Angela Dempsey of MUSC Women’s Health is seeing patients with some serious misconceptions about contraception. 

“Some of the common myths that patients tell me they heard on social media are that birth control causes infertility, harms your natural hormone cycle, causes cancer and changes who you’re attracted to,” Dempsey said.

“These trending myths are simply not supported by science.”

The concern is that those myths could cause women to quit using birth control and find themselves with unplanned pregnancies.

But Dempsey said social media can also expose real issues affecting women’s reproductive health. “One of the trends right now that I’m noticing from talking with patients is how sensationalized the pain associated with IUD placement has become on social media. And I think there’s a prevailing narrative that health care providers don’t care about your pain or they’re minimizing or dismissing your pain.”

Dempsey said that narrative needs to be addressed. “I think it’s important to acknowledge that patients probably wouldn’t turn to social media for information or maybe, more importantly, weigh the trustworthiness of that information above what they get from a professional if they hadn’t been given a reason not to trust their provider in some way.”

That reason might include a patient being surprised by pain or side effects. Case in point: the insertion or removal of an IUD, or intrauterine device.

 

“Research would suggest that there’s a wide range of pain experiences with IUD placement, ranging from patients who say, ‘Wow, you're already done? I was expecting it to be more painful’ to patients who describe an experience that was very traumatic and one of the most painful things that’s ever happened to them. Some even feel no one should be asked to have an IUD placed in the office without some type of sedation or anesthesia,” Dempsey said.

She said patients considering IUD placement should talk to or message their providers ahead of time if they’re interested in getting medication for anxiety leading up to the visit. 

“They can also learn about pain control options and talk to their providers about what would be required to go to the operating room to receive heavier levels of sedation for the procedure.”

Birth control pills, frequent social media targets, come with potential side effects, too. A small proportion of women report headaches, upset stomachs, sore breasts, mood changes, for example. Dempsey said doctors should talk through the downsides, as well as the upsides of any form of contraception, so that patients can make their own decision and are prepared. 

“Shared decision-making is the model that providers are and should be striving to use, where we really listen to the patient about what’s important to them and tailor our counseling as much as possible to their priorities. They’ve asked us to be very forthcoming about what they can expect if they choose a particular method.”

That’s a priority at MUSC Women’s Health, Dempsey said. 

But what she doesn’t want to get lost in the discussion is the fact that birth control has been a game-changer for women. “The CDC has rated contraception as one of the top 10 medical advances of the last century because it’s been so impactful for public health. They’ve rated it right up there with vaccines and clean drinking water in the 20th century,” Dempsey said.

“There are lots of different birth control methods that people can choose from. So hopefully, they can think about their priorities – what’s important to them about birth control, what they’re worried about with birth control – and talk with their doctor. There’s a very good chance that there is a method out there that will be a match for them.”

She also encourages women to keep in mind that people posting on social media have differing motivations. Bottom line: Patients should talk with their doctors, Dempsey said. 

“Consider what they see on social media and have a conversation with their provider – be sure to tell them about what they’ve heard or read and what they’re worried about and give their doctor a chance to share accurate scientific information to address those questions or concerns.” In the end, she believes patients deserve to get all the accurate information they need to make the best decision for themselves when it comes to birth control and health care.