“Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion.” That’s the title of a very problematic article in the Washington Post last week. Written by two people with no medical background, the article is highly politicized, filled with anecdotal evidence, and dismissive of women’s lived experiences with birth control. To add insult to injury, after receiving heavy backlash, the Washington Post turned comments off on their Instagram post about the article.
Once I saw this article, I had to address it here on the podcast because it’s disgusting. Birth control is obviously not the ultimate evil, but it’s also not the ultimate panacea. It should not be prescribed for problems outside of birth control until the underlying factors have been explored. Anything else is a disservice to our patients and is done for the convenience of the prescribing physician.
In this episode, I’m going through the complete article and giving you my take and the facts on everything written. I want you to read this article, see the political division that’s being created, and see the way they’ve stopped women from responding to what they’ve written.
Keep your voices up, keep questioning the establishment, and when you feel like somebody is trying to push birth control pills on you and you don’t want them, speak up. Enjoy the episode.
Episode Highlights
-Why I’m talking about the Washington Post’s article on birth control misinformation
-The risk of bias and the authors’ lack of medical background
-Misrepresentation of the genuine symptoms some women experience while taking birth control
-The political implications threaded throughout the article
-Why I believe it’s misogynistic and hypocritical that the comments were turned off on the Instagram post about this article
-The reach of social media influencers and their impact on birth control decisions
-Potential side effects of birth control and the experiences of individuals who have faced complications
-How social media might be shaping perceptions and decisions related to birth control methods
-Bias in the medical community’s response to the side effects of HRT versus the pill
-How this article is promoting political division
Mentioned In This Episode
Washington Post Article | Women Are Getting Off Birth Control Amid Misinformation Explosion
Daysy Fertility Tracker | Daysy.com
Sarah Hill, PdD’s Book | This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences
Resources
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Practice
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Book | The Hormone Balance Bible
Dr. Shawn Tassone’s Integrative Hormonal Mapping System | Hormone Archetype Quiz
Medical Disclaimer
This podcast and website represent the opinions of Dr. Shawn Tassone and his guests. The content here should not be taken as medical advice and is for informational purposes only. Because each person is so unique, please consult your health care professional for any medical questions.
