Tackling Misinformation on TikTok: How to Combat High Rates of Unplanned Pregnancies in Australia
Key Highlights :
The rise of social media has seen an influx of birth control misinformation, particularly on TikTok, which has caused experts to sound the alarm. With 40% of births in Australia being unplanned, it is essential that we take steps to counteract this trend and provide evidence-based messaging that appeals to younger generations.
Videos spruiking the benefits of “natural contraception” have become increasingly popular on TikTok, with the hashtag #gettingoffbirthcontrol reaching over seven million views. One video, which has gained over 350k views, saw one woman claim that black seed oil was a natural form of birth control. Another video, which received over a quarter of a million views, showed a woman allege her bra size doubled after three months off the pill.
Experts have warned that this kind of misinformation could contribute to the high rate of unplanned pregnancies in Australia, and have urged for broader education on birth control. Professor Deborah Bateson from the University of Sydney said: “We need to counteract this through evidence-based messaging that is appealing to younger generations.”
Dr Sharon James, a research fellow at the Australian Contraception and Abortion Primary Care Practitioner Support (AusCAPPS) network, echoed this sentiment, saying: “People need to know about their contraceptive options and what’s going to work for them in their circumstances. We need to have more evidence-based information on those platforms, as well as in schools.”
A recent Senate inquiry into reproductive healthcare called for major changes to Australia’s health system to give women better access to birth control. One of the report’s key recommendations was to make contraceptives more affordable, with newer birth control options like progesterone only pills not listed on the government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Other contraceptives like the copper IUD, which can be particularly useful for women at risk of breast cancer, are also not subsidised.
Giving nurses and midwives the power to prescribe contraception could also be a key way to drastically improve women‘s access to birth control, particularly in rural areas. Of the estimated 36,000 midwives in Australia, only 908 are allowed to prescribe contraceptives, according to the nation’s peak midwifery body.
In order to address the high rates of unplanned pregnancies in Australia, it is essential that we tackle the misinformation surrounding birth control on social media. By providing evidence-based information, making contraceptives more affordable, and allowing nurses and midwives to prescribe contraception, we can help ensure that women have access to the information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health.
