Myths about birth control have long proliferated in the US (thanks in part to the abysmal state of sex ed), but recent events have amplified their spread—namely, the rise of influencers sharing misleading information about the pill on social media and the passage of legislation threatening access to various kinds of contraception.
These misconceptions can have far-reaching repercussions, for instance putting people at risk for unintended pregnancy or keeping them from the non-pregnancy-related upsides of hormonal contraception, like relief from heavy periods and gut-wrenching menstrual cramps. So we asked ob-gyns to debunk all the biggest birth control myths they’ve heard as of late.
1. Myth: Birth control is a form of abortion.
For years, politicians have conflated contraception with abortion, most recently a spokesperson for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), who referred to hormonal contraceptives as “abortifacient birth control” in a statement to The New York Times. The reality is, no form of birth control—not even the emergency kind—is designed to end an existing pregnancy; rather, these products keep a pregnancy from getting started.
The two main ways they work are: preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary), in the case of hormonal contraceptives, and blocking sperm from reaching an egg, either by thickening the cervical mucus (hormonal options) or interfering with sperm motility and function (copper IUDs). All of that prevents a pregnancy from ever being able to get underway, Sameena Rahman, MD, a Chicago-based board-certified gynecologist and menopause specialist, tells SELF.
Where the myth arises may have to do with what happens next. In the extremely rare scenario that a sperm somehow still wriggles its way to an egg and fertilizes it, that fertilized egg may not ultimately implant into the uterus, as both hormonal contraceptives and copper IUDs can cause changes in the uterine lining. But even this doesn’t constitute a negative effect on an existing pregnancy, Dr. Rahman points out, because pregnancy doesn’t start until after implantation occurs, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). The label on Plan B, a popular brand of emergency contraception, used to suggest it could similarly interfere with implantation, but in 2022, the FDA updated it to clarify that it has no such effect—and only prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation.
By contrast to all of the above, medication abortion shrinks the uterine lining, causing an already-implanted embryo to detach, and then triggers uterine contractions to push it out.
2. Myth: Using any form of birth control protects you from STIs.
The only kinds of birth control that protect against both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections are condoms (both the external kind worn on a penis and the internal pouch you insert into a vagina). As barrier methods, they cut down on the two possible vectors of STI transmission: sexual fluids and skin-to-skin contact.
And even condoms can’t fully eliminate skin-to-skin contact so when you use them, you’re still at risk of getting certain STIs, such as herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes most cervical cancer. This is why getting tested regularly so you know your STI status is a huge part of staying as safe as possible.
3. Myth: You can have a little sex then throw on a condom before any ejaculation happens, and you won’t get pregnant.
Slipping on a condom just before the person with the penis finishes means their partner gets exposed to pre-ejaculatory fluid (a.k.a. pre-cum), Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells SELF. There’s controversy surrounding whether or not pre-cum always contains sperm, but it’s a possibility, Dr. Streicher says, so you could raise your chances of pregnancy. Not to mention, you won’t be protecting yourself as well as you could against STIs.
4. Myth: If you haven’t had children, you’re not a good candidate for an IUD.
“It was previously thought that if your cervix hadn’t dilated during a pregnancy, we couldn’t get an IUD through the cervical canal,” Dr. Rahman says, “but we’ve since learned that we absolutely can.” It’s the reason ACOG even recommends IUDs for teenagers, most of whom, of course, haven’t given birth.
