They identified 50 videos posted between December 2019 and December 2021 by influencers with 20,000 to 2.2 million followers.
The videos were then analyzed to determine the influencers’ attitudes to hormonal birth control, including birth control pills, injections and implants, and non-hormonal versions, such as fertility tracker apps and condoms.
The findings showed that of the majority of influencers who talked about stopping hormonal birth control, 92 percent said they were using it or had used it and 74 percent said they would discontinue it, or Planning to shut it down.
The main reasons influencers stopped were the desire to be more natural and to improve their mental health. However, researchers say that the link between depression and hormonal birth control is still unclear.
Nearly 40 percent of influencers said they were using, or had used, non-hormonal birth control, with fertility trackers being the most popular method.
Reasons given for preferring non-hormonal birth control include helping prevent pregnancy, being more natural, having fewer side effects, and being cost-effective.