How to Make Birth Control Decisions in the Age of Social Media

By helitra·October 28, 2026·11 min read

In today’s digital age, social media is filled with health and lifestyle information. For many women, the sheer volume of online information can make it difficult to tell what’s accurate, what’s opinion, and what truly applies to their own lives.

Social media content creator and Organon partner Gianna Christine has seen how quickly health information can spread online—and why it’s important to separate personal experience from medical guidance. For her, choosing a treatment comes from discussing questions with a healthcare professional to understand your options.

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How has building a career online and creating content shaped the way you view health information on social media?

Gianna Christine: Building my career on social media has made me hyperaware of the difference between the “highlight reel” and real life.

On platforms like Instagram, people see a curated version of me, but on Snapchat, where I share more of my day-to-day life, my audience is interested in my advice. That’s taught me that there’s a responsibility that comes with that trust. When sharing your own experiences and what works for you, it’s important to understand that health decisions are personal, and what works for one person may not be right for another. I’m always clear about that with my followers and suggest women find a doctor they trust to speak to.

Has your relationship with social media changed as you’ve gotten older?

Gianna: Absolutely. I think when you’re younger, it’s easy to assume that if something is popular online, it must be true. I even experienced this myself, as I almost ruled out certain birth control options entirely because of stories I’d heard on social media. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become much more intentional about where I get my information. I always talk with my own healthcare professional if I have any questions or concerns and tell others to do the same.

There’s so much health information available online today that it can feel overwhelming for many women. How do you sort through it all and prepare for conversations with your healthcare professional, and what would you tell other women trying to do the same?

Gianna: It can definitely feel like information is everywhere, and not all of it may be easy to sort through or understand.

What’s worked for me is not trying to become an expert, but showing up prepared. Before an appointment, I write down the questions I want to ask my doctor, such as, “What are all my options?” (not just the one a friend mentioned or the one that’s trending), and “What are the potential side effects I need to know about?” Appointments can go by quickly, so being prepared makes it easier to have a productive conversation and make informed decisions.

My biggest advice to other women is to use social media to hear different experiences and feel less alone, but bring your questions and what you’ve heard to your healthcare professional so they can help put it in context for what makes sense for you.

You often talk about independence and building a life that aligns with your goals and priorities. How has that mindset influenced the way you approach adulthood and the choices you’ve made about birth control?

Gianna: Right now, I’m focused on my career, my friendships, and enjoying this chapter of life. Living in New York has given me the opportunity to invest in myself and pursue goals that are important to me. I’ve realized adulthood isn’t about following someone else’s timeline; it’s about making choices that align with your values and priorities.

That mindset has influenced every aspect of how I live my life, including how I approached birth control. My journey with birth control started when I was much younger. I initially tried birth control pills but didn’t want an option I had to take every day. When I spoke with my healthcare professional about other options, she walked me through what was available to me and answered my questions. Ultimately, I chose NEXPLANON® (etonogestrel implant) 68 mg Radiopaque because my doctor and I determined it was right for me. While I may be on NEXPLANON, it’s important for each person to understand their contraception options, how they work, and the Important Safety Information before making a decision with their healthcare professional.

NEXPLANON is a long-acting prescription birth control for the prevention of pregnancy in women of reproductive potential for up to 5 years* and is over 99% effective.†

*NEXPLANON must be removed by the end of the fifth year.
† Less than 1 pregnancy per 100 women who used NEXPLANON for one year.

Important Safety Information

Don’t use NEXPLANON if you’re pregnant or may be pregnant; have or had blood clots or certain cancers; or have liver disease, liver tumor, or unexplained vaginal bleeding. Immediately after the implant is placed, you and your healthcare provider should feel for it. If at any time you can’t feel the implant, contact your healthcare provider right away and use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as condoms). Removal of the implant may be difficult or impossible if it isn’t where it should be. While uncommon, ectopic pregnancy (occurring outside the womb) can occur, which can cause serious internal bleeding, infertility, and even death. You’re likely to experience changes to your period. NEXPLANON may raise the chance of serious blood clots, which can cause heart attack, stroke, or death, especially if you smoke or have other risk factors. For more information, please see more Important Safety Information below, and click here to read the Prescribing Information, including the Boxed Warning, and the Patient Information, and talk to your healthcare professional.

NEXPLANON works by releasing a steady, low dose of the progestin hormone etonogestrel to prevent pregnancy by:

Stopping ovulation by preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg
Thickening cervical mucus to make it harder for sperm to reach an egg if one were released
Changing the uterine lining

Your healthcare professional will place and remove the NEXPLANON implant using a minor surgical procedure in their office. Your healthcare provider will numb a small area on your inner, non-dominant, upper arm with local anesthetic (i.e., lidocaine) and will insert the implant, which is soft, flexible, and about the size of a matchstick (≈1.6 in/4 cm). In clinical studies, 5.2% of patients experienced insertion-site pain.

Gianna Christine Q&A, continued

Your schedule is constantly changing between creating content, traveling, and attending events. How do you stay grounded and maintain routines when life gets busy?

Gianna: My schedule definitely isn’t the same from day to day, so I’ve learned that having consistency where I can is important. The less time I spend worrying about small, logistical things, the more energy I have to focus on the things that matter most to me: my relationships, career, health, and personal goals.

One of the reasons I chose NEXPLANON before leaving for college was that I wanted a birth control option I didn’t have to remember to take every day. As a long-acting reversible birth control, NEXPLANON is approved to prevent pregnancy for up to five years and must be removed by the end of the fifth year.

Indication

NEXPLANON is a prescription medication for the prevention of pregnancy for up to 5 years.

Important Safety Information Continued

You should not use NEXPLANON if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant; have or have had blood clots; have liver disease or a liver tumor; have unexplained vaginal bleeding; have breast cancer or any other cancer that is sensitive to progestin (a female hormone), now or in the past; or are allergic to anything in NEXPLANON.

Talk to your healthcare professional about using NEXPLANON if you have diabetes, high cholesterol or triglycerides, headaches, gallbladder or kidney problems, history of depressed mood, high blood pressure, or allergy to numbing medicines (anesthetics) or medicines used to clean your skin (antiseptics). These medicines will be used when the implant is placed into or removed from your arm.

Immediately after the NEXPLANON implant has been placed, you and your healthcare professional should check that the implant is in your arm by feeling for it. If at any time you cannot feel the NEXPLANON implant, contact your healthcare professional immediately and use a non-hormonal birth control method (such as condoms) until your healthcare professional confirms that the implant is in place. You may need special tests to check that the implant is in place or to help find the implant when it is time to take it out.

The implant may not be actually in your arm due to failed insertion. If this happens, you may become pregnant. Removal of the implant may be very difficult or impossible if the implant is not where it should be. Special procedures, including surgery in the hospital, may be needed to remove the implant. If the implant is not removed, then the effects of NEXPLANON will continue for a longer period of time. Other problems related to insertion and removal may also occur, including vasovagal reactions (such as a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, or fainting), pain, irritation, swelling, bruising, numbness and tingling, scarring, infection, injury to the nerves or blood vessels, and breaking of the implant. Additionally, the implant may come out by itself. You may become pregnant if the implant comes out by itself. Use a back-up birth control method and call your healthcare professional right away if the implant comes out.

The most common side effect of NEXPLANON is a change in your normal menstrual bleeding pattern. In studies, 1 out of 10 women stopped using the implant because of an unfavorable change in their bleeding pattern. You may experience longer or shorter bleeding during your periods or have no bleeding at all. The time between periods may vary, and you may also have spotting in between periods.

If you become pregnant while using NEXPLANON, you have a slightly higher chance that the pregnancy will be ectopic (occurring outside the womb) than do women who do not use birth control. Ectopic pregnancies can cause serious internal bleeding, infertility, and even death. Call your healthcare professional right away if you think you are pregnant or have unexplained lower stomach (abdominal) pain.

The use of NEXPLANON may also increase your chance of serious blood clots, especially if you have other risk factors, such as smoking. If you smoke and want to use NEXPLANON, you should quit. Serious blood clots can occur within blood vessels of different parts of the body, including legs (deep vein thrombosis), lungs (pulmonary embolism), brain (stroke), heart (heart attack), and eyes (total or partial blindness). It is possible to die from a problem caused by a blood clot, such as a heart attack or stroke. Tell your healthcare professional at least 4 weeks before if you are going to have surgery or will need to be on bed rest, because you have an increased chance of getting blood clots during surgery or bed rest.

Cysts may develop on the ovaries and usually go away without treatment, but sometimes surgery is needed to remove them.

Besides changes in menstrual bleeding patterns, other common side effects reported in women using NEXPLANON include headaches; vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina); weight gain; acne; breast pain; viral infection such as sore throats or flu-like symptoms; stomach pain; painful periods; mood swings, nervousness, or depressed mood; back pain; nausea; dizziness; pain; and pain at the site of insertion. Implants have been reported to be found in a blood vessel, including a blood vessel in the lung.

Call your healthcare professional right away if you have pain in your lower leg that does not go away; severe chest pain or heaviness in the chest; sudden shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, or coughing blood; symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swollen face, tongue, or throat and trouble breathing or swallowing; sudden severe headaches unlike your usual headaches; weakness or numbness in your arm or leg or trouble speaking; sudden partial or complete blindness; yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes, especially with fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, dark-colored urine, or light-colored bowel movements; severe pain, swelling, or tenderness in the lower stomach (abdomen); lump in your breast; problems sleeping, lack of energy, tiredness, or feeling very sad; or heavy menstrual bleeding or if you feel that the implant may have broken or bent while in your arm.

NEXPLANON does not protect against HIV or other STDs.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please read the Patient Information for NEXPLANON and discuss it with your healthcare professional. The physician Prescribing Information, including the Boxed Warning, also is available.

Start the conversation with your doctor to determine what birth control option may fit into your current story.

Gianna Christine Q&A, continued

What’s one thing you hope women take away from your story?

Gianna: I hope women take away that they don’t have to have it all figured out to make empowered decisions. It wasn’t until I asked my doctor, “What are my options?” that I found a birth control that worked for me. So, for birth control decisions, I hope women feel confident asking questions, get the information they need, and trust themselves to make the decision that’s right for them in partnership with their healthcare provider.

If you’re interested in exploring NEXPLANON or any long-acting reversible contraception, talk with your healthcare provider to help determine what’s right for you and your health. Learn more about NEXPLANON at www.NEXPLANON.com.

This article features Gianna Christine’s personal experience. Individual experiences with birth control vary. Readers should consult a healthcare professional to discuss options that may be appropriate for their individual needs.

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