How to get reliable information about contraception

by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy

It’s a bewildering time for women when it comes to choosing contraception. Social media is dangerous place to be looking for information. Over 50% of wellness educators advise against medical contraception – and often these people have no medical training. Women are being mislead by a host of myths and untruths about safe, tried and tested contraceptives.

In one 2025 study of the top 100 TikTok videos, a search of 5 common types of contraception revealed 5 billion views and 14.6 million likes. Only 10% of these had been created by medical professionals. Overall, these videos were of poor quality, contained false information and were more likely to encourage women to use natural methods than hormonal methods, often without fully explaining the risks, and fuelling distrust in medical professionals.

So, to anyone reading this, here are some recommendations on how to obtain truthful, reliable contraceptive information, set out below.

Avoid social media for contraceptive advice

Stay away from social media for contraception and sexual health advice. If you do go there, ask yourself what is behind this post/video? It’s likely this is designed to get something out of you – likes, clicks, or money! Is the person on the post/video medically trained? Remember anything can happen to anyone, and when things go wrong it causes a sensation! We all love to read horror stories. What doesn’t make the headlines is the number of times things have gone right, and someone is happy. So social media tends to give a very negative, biased view.

Use trusted websites

Go to reliable, trusted websites such as

• NHS – Methods of contraception
• The College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare – Contraception choices
• NHS Inform – Contraception
• Let’s talk about it – Contraception
• Brook – Contraception – This is specifically designed for young people

On these sites you will find evidence-based information – this means facts drawn from thousands of medical studies which have included millions of women’s experiences of using all different methods of contraception. This means the correct fact are given – not just scary accounts of the few occasions where someone had a bad experience. The information is presented clearly and evenly, in a non-biased way, to try and help each person make up their own mind on what is right for them.

Use a contraception tool

You might like to use an online contraception tool. This takes you through a series of questions and guides you towards the methods that are likely to best for you.

• The College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare – Contraception choices – What’s right for me
• Brook – Contraception – What works for you?

Make an appointment at the Sexual Health Clinic or with your GP

The NHS has a vast number of Sexual Health Clinics where you can be seen free of charge. The staff are all specially trained in Contraception and Sexual Health. You will be warmly welcomed and put at your ease. They will give you the correct information and help you get started with whatever method you choose. You can go alone or take a friend or relative with you, the service is confidential, and all contraception is free of charge. You can also have STI screening and treatment if needed.

Most GP surgeries have GPs who are trained in Contraception and Sexual Health and often have specially trained Sexual Health nurses.

• Find a Sexual Health Clinic – https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/sexual-health-services/find-a-sexual-health-clinic/

National Sexual Health helpline

If you have an urgent contraceptive or sexual health issue

• Phone 0300123 7123 (Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm)

This might be about whether you need emergency contraception, what to do about missed pills, if you are worried you might be pregnant, what to do about an unplanned pregnancy, or rape/sexual assault

Final thoughts

Your decisions about contraception are so important. Contraception does not just give you the option to control your fertility; there are so many non-contraceptive benefits. Many methods reduce or get rid of heavy, painful periods, and some treat acne, endometriosis and PCOS. The combined pill also protects against PID and ectopic pregnancy. Long-acting methods (coils/implants) can be left for 3 years or longer with almost no input. Many women don’t realise that the combined pill dramatically reduces the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. All methods of contraception are fully reversible – they do not cause infertility.

Choosing and using contraception can greatly improve your quality of life as well as allowing you to plan your pregnancies.

• If you’re confused about contraception, hopefully the above advice will help you take a sensible step towards choosing a method which is likely to suit you the best.