Women and Healthcare Professionals’ Understanding of their Concerns of Birth Control Side Effects
Authors: Kingsberg S , Loving J , Alex H , Bernick B , Graham S 
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Birth control has a number of benefits and risks that can be perceived differently by the women and their healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Objective

To assess from women's perspective, birth control use and what side effects are most noticeable and concerning, and how they compare to what HCPs believe women are most concerned about when choosing a method of birth control.

Methods

C Space online communities were surveyed from January 21 to 28, 2021. C Space is an online community platform; each community is unique to the client for which it is designed. For this study, two communities were surveyed: a 100-member community of HCPs who treat women's health issues and a 300 member community of reproductive-age women. Of the 100 HCPs surveyed, 65 responded (25% OB/GYNs, 43% primary care providers, 31% nurse practitioners or physician assistants). Of the 300 reproductive-age women, 121 responded.

Results

Two-thirds (65%) of women (n=121) responded that they have turned down a birth control method in the past, with 40% citing the risks of side effects as a reason. Weight gain (79%) was the most cited, followed by irregular bleeding (43%), mood swings (43%), skin changes (33%), headaches/migraines (29%) and pain/cramping (26%). Women were evenly divided regarding concerns over side effects from birth control: 38% are very/extremely concerned, 36% are a little/not at all concerned, with 26% falling in the middle of being somewhat concerned. When forced to select a side effect they were most concerned about, blood clots were most concerning (39%) followed by weight gain (17%).HCPs (n=65) cited weight gain (73%) and irregular bleeding (64%) as their patients’ most concerning side effects, followed by mood changes/irritability (34%), deep vein thrombosis/blood clots (27%), increased headaches (27%), irregular menses (23%) and acne (23%). HCPs believed all women have at least some concerns over side effects; 53% say women are somewhat concerned, 22% say women are very/extremely concerned, and 25% say women are a little concerned. HCPs responded that weight gain was the most concerning side effect among women (77% extremely/very concerned) followed by irregular bleeding (42% extremely/very concerned), mood changes (40% extremely/very concerned) and acne (38% extremely/very concerned).HCPs underestimated women's concerns related to the side effects of birth control. The widest gaps in women's concerns vs. HCPs perception of women's concerns were blood clots (80% women, 33% HCPs), headaches (60% women, 21% HCPs), dizziness (59% women, 9% HCPs), decreased libido (58% women, 19% HCPs) and nausea (53% women, 21% HCPS). Women and their HCPs were more closely aligned when it comes to their appreciation of weight gain (73% women, 77% HCPs), irregular bleeding (42% women, 42% HCPs), mood changes (61% women, 40% HCPs) and acne (51% women, 38% HCPs).

Conclusions

There is a gap in the appreciation by HCPs and what women are concerned about as it relates to the side effects of birth control. Women are much more concerned about blood clots, headaches, dizziness, libido, and nausea than HCPs perceive them to be.

Disclosure

Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: TherapeuticsMD

Clarification

Industry initiated, executed and funded study

Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: TherapeuticsMD