Whilst a lot of contraceptives and birth control methods are considered to be very effective in preventing pregnancy, there is also a lot of unfounded contraception misinformation out there that can hinder the associated prevention success rates. For this reason, we at wham thought of compiling a list of contraception myths along with the rationale for each, to prevent misinformation from leading towards unwanted surprises.
Myth #1: “I’m breastfeeding, I cannot get pregnant”.
Breastfeeding may prolong the return of your period. However, whilst there are women who experience months or even a year or two period-free whilst still breastfeeding, there are women who get their first a couple of weeks after giving birth. There is no conclusive indication on when a woman is to ovulate after birthing her baby, whether she is breastfeeding exclusively or not, and so, a breastfeeding woman may still get pregnant whilst breastfeeding.
Myth #2: “If I don’t orgasm I won’t get pregnant”.
A woman releases an egg from her ovaries during each menstrual cycle. Pregnancy is the result of a male’s sperm fertilising a woman’s egg. A woman’s orgasm doesn’t affect whether or not she gets pregnant. So yes, a woman can get pregnant even if she doesn’t orgasm.
Myth #3: “If I douche after sex I won’t get pregnant”.
Douching after sex won’t wash off sperm that enters the cervix following ejaculation, and so, a woman can still get pregnant if she douches after sex.
Myth #4: “I have sex standing up or on top of him so I will not get pregnant”.
Immediately after ejaculation, sperm deposited into the vagina moves up automatically through the cervical canal, irrespective of which sex position is assumed. Thus, having vaginal sex in certain positions won’t reduce your chance of getting pregnant.
Myth #5: “My partner uses the pull-out method so I don’t get pregnant”.
During sex and prior to ejaculation, a man might unknowingly release some ejaculate – the fluid which contains sperm. So although a man might manage to pull out before he ejaculates, the fluid released earlier on may still be enough to get a woman pregnant.
Myth #6: “I only have sex when it is considered ‘safe’. I don’t have sex on the days I’m fertile, so I can’t get pregnant”.
The question that comes to mind following the above is – how are you determining in which days you are fertile?
A woman’s menstrual cycle may be regular for months or years, however, hormonal imbalance due to age, stress and medication may disrupt a regular cycle. When this happens, the fertile window – ovulation – happens earlier or later than expected. Unless a woman monitors all her fertility signs every month, she can easily get pregnant if she just relies on avoiding sex during her predicted fertile days.
Myth #7: “If I have sex during or right after my period I won’t get pregnant”.
If you have unprotected sex you can get pregnant. It all depends on when your ovulation happens as explained for the previous myth. Even if your cycle is as regular as clockwork, hormonal changes may cause you to ovulate early or late, resulting in an unexpected pregnancy.
Myth #8: “When I had unprotected sex I didn’t get pregnant, so I can do without birth control”.
You can only get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your menstrual cycle’s fertile window. If you don’t know exactly when your fertile window is, not getting pregnant is just you being lucky. If you want to avoid getting pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider to see which birth control method is the most appropriate for you.
Myth #9: “If I take birth control now I may not be able to get pregnant in the future”.
Research shows that birth control, be it long or short term, does not affect a woman’s future fertility. A clear example of this is shown by women who get pregnant after forgetting to take the pill for a few days. Similarly, women can get pregnant after removing an IUD. Fertility depends on the person and is not affected by past birth control methods.
Myth #10: “I don’t need birth control as my partner assured me he is taking male shots and pills to avoid getting me pregnant”.
To this day, the only approved birth control for men are condoms and vasectomies. Male shots and male pills for birth control do not exist yet.
Myth #11: “I just started taking the pill so I can’t get pregnant if I start having unprotected sex right away”.
Usually it is recommended to wait at least a week for the oral contraceptives’ hormones to start working hand in hand with your natural hormones to prevent ovulation. Always consult your GP and follow the pill’s directions accordingly so as to avoid pregnancy.
Myth #12: “If I take the pill it will make me gain weight”.
While there seems to be no direct link between hormonal birth control and weight gain, there are women who do believe that taking the pill causes them an increase in weight. A woman who is concerned about weight gain should talk to her GP who may suggest non-hormonal birth control instead. However, it is good to keep in mind that women are all different, and while birth control can cause certain side effects on one, it can cause nothing to the other.
Myth #13: “Birth control pills may cause cancer”.
Up until today, there is no evidence linking birth control pills to cancer. On the contrary, studies show that certain birth control options such as the patch, ring and IUD can help reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer.
Myth #14: “I cannot get STIs as I take the pill”.
The pill protects you from getting pregnant. It DOES NOT protect you from sexually transmitted infections. The only birth control method that can protect you from STIs is condom use, however, this is not the most effective method to prevent pregnancy. Thus, to avoid getting pregnant and getting STIs you should use a condom along with another birth control method.
Myth #15: “I tend to forget taking medication on time so unfortunately there is no effective birth control option for me”.
While some birth control options need to be taken at the same time every day to be fully effective, there are other birth control options that are low maintenance and do not require anything other than just having them done and having them taken off when due. Such options include the shot, the patch, the ring, the IUD and the implant. These are also reversible, so once a woman decides she wants to get pregnant, she can just have them removed.
Myth #16: “The ring may fall out”.
The ring won’t fall out during physical activities or when going to the bathroom. The ring stays in place from the moment you insert it until you take it back out.
Myth #17: “The patch may fall off”.
Once placed, the patch stays put due to its sticky texture. You can resume your normal physical activities including bathing without it falling off, until you are due to remove it.
Myth #18: “The IUD can tear through the lining of the uterus”.
Although this is possible, it is quite rare, with only about 1 in every 1000 IUDs causing uterine perforation. A uterine perforation is likely to happen at the time of insertion and it does not cause long-term harm.
Myth #19: “The IUD can get lost in the uterus”.
Although this is possible, it is quite rare that an IUD works its way through the cervix (IUD expulsion). Approximately 2-10% of IUD users experience this. Factors that may affect the rate of expulsion include age and type of IUD used. IUD users should use a backup contraceptive method such as condoms and should consult their GP or healthcare provider if they think a partial or complete expulsion may have occurred.
Myth #20: “I cannot get an IUD as I have never given birth yet”.
All women can opt to have an IUD inserted, whether or not they have given birth before. An IUD is actually deemed to be a great birth control option for young women based on its efficiency, longevity (lasting up to 10 years) and reversibility, and is a recommended choice by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Myth #21: “If I use the implant I will gain weight”.
The implant is a long-acting birth control method which contains progestins. Progestins, which are also found in IUDs, do not cause weight gain.
Myth #22: “The implant hurts”.
Prior to the implant being inserted in a woman’s arm, numbing solution is used. Following the procedure, some bruising and soreness may be felt for a couple of days. This should subside within a week.
Myth #23: “People would be able to notice the implant in my arm if I do it”.
A woman is able to feel the implant in her arm if she presses near the insertion spot. While doing so, others may notice it. However, it is unnoticeable if no attention is drawn to it.
Myth #24: “Hormonal birth control causes abortion”.
All forms of hormonal birth control are designed to prevent ovulation. Without ovulation, implantation cannot happen, and so, no form of life is created. Thus, abortion cannot happen.
Myth #25: “The morning-after pill causes an abortion”.
The morning-after pill does not work in the same way as the abortion pill. The abortion pill interrupts an already established pregnancy. The morning-after pill is an emergency contraception pill that works by delaying ovulation due to stopping the egg from being released and fertilised.
References
Cleveland Clinic (2018). Contraception Myths. Women’s Health Institute. Retrieved from https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/bc4teens/resources/birth-control-myths on 23rd August 2021.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital (2020). Birth Control Myths. Retrieved from https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/bc4teens/resources/birth-control-myths on 23rd August 2021.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital (2020). Low Maintenance Contraceptives. Retrieved from https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/bc4teens/for-providers/low-maintenance-contraceptives on 27th August 2021.
Raine-Bennett, T. (2010). Birth control and infertility: Does using birth control hurt my chances of getting pregnant later? Bedsider. Retrieved from https://www.bedsider.org/features/76-birth-control-and-infertility-does-using-birth-control-hurt-my-chances-of-getting-pregnant-later on 26th August 2021.
Villines, Z. (2020). Debunking Common Birth Control Myths. Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/birth-control-myths#hormones on 27th August 2021.
Warden, M. (2014). Does Birth Control Cause Cancer? Bedsider. Retrieved from https://www.bedsider.org/features/325-does-birth-control-cause-breast-cancer on 25th August 2021.
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Claire Galea is a mum of three currently reading for a Degree in Nursing at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, as a mature student. She is keen about holistic patient-centered care as well as public education about health-related subjects, which she frequently writes about on Wham as a Content Writer and Website Editor.
Claire is also passionate about spreading awareness on the negative effects that domestic abuse leaves on its victims’ mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. She is the author of two downloadable ebooks, namely Heal Your Life Forever and 5 Simple Steps To Creating The Life Of Your Dreams.
Click here to check out Claire’s full bio as well as a list of all her Wham published articles
