Conspiracy theory about abortions causing hurricanes sparks jokes online

Other discussions focused on birth control pills, the impact of abortion bans, and IUD removal.

This past week, Tucker Carlson falsely claimed that abortions have caused recent hurricanes, generating the most online conversation about reproductive health. Other posts debated “balancing hormones” and the safety of birth control pills, responded to the death last year of a Texas teen who faced delays in receiving miscarriage care, and discussed IUD removal, with some comments advocating for the unadvised removal of IUDs at home instead of seeing a health care provider.

In light of these conversations, communicators may continue to recirculate key talking points about reproductive health care, including information about birth control pills and IUDs and how abortion bans impede access to miscarriage care.

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What’s trending nationally in reproductive health conversation:

During a podcast appearance on November 4, Tucker Carlson falsely claimed that abortion has caused more frequent hurricanes, stating, “You can’t participate in human sacrifice without consequences.” Several news articles covered Carlson’s comments, and top social media posts about the podcast appearance joked about Carlson’s false claim. Some comments argued that his statement cannot be true, as recent hurricanes have primarily impacted states with the strictest abortion limits.

On October 30, Impact—a news media outlet—and Nurx—a telemedicine company that provides birth control, emergency contraception, and other health care services—shared an Instagram post warning that recent TikTok videos have been spreading false and misleading claims about birth control and sexual health. The Instagram post garnered approximately 22,400 likes and 200 comments as of November 5. The post reviewed several myths spreading online, including the idea of “balancing hormones,” noting that “despite what ‘hormone coach’ influencers say on TikTok, ‘balancing your hormones’ is not a real thing—but if you are feeling off and think it’s your hormones, see a healthcare provider.” Several comments disagreed with the statement, stating that balancing hormones is “VERY real” and that birth control pills are “actually one of the worst things to take.”

On November 1, ProPublica published an article about a Texas teenager who died in 2023 from miscarriage complications. The teen went to emergency rooms on three separate occasions and faced delays in receiving lifesaving care due to Texas’s abortion ban. Several social media posts across multiple platforms discussed the article. Many comments on these posts expressed grief and anger over the teen’s death and asked others to vote for political candidates who support abortion access. Some comments from abortion opponents stated that health care providers’ faulty decisions, not abortion bans, led to the teen’s death, and others claimed that this article was propaganda.

A recent Reddit post that received approximately 600 upvotes and 150 comments as of November 5 shared a screenshot of a Facebook user asking how to remove an IUD at home due to a lack of health insurance. Most comments that appeared in the screenshot advised the author of the original Facebook post to have their IUD removed by a health care provider, despite the out-of-pocket cost. Many Reddit users commented that they had removed their own IUDs, and some provided instructions for removing an IUD at home, which is medically not recommended.

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Recommendations for public health professionals

Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about reproductive health. 

Responding directly to false claims that hurricanes can cause abortions is not recommended, as this may detract from key talking points about abortion.

In response to conversations about hormones and birth control pills, messaging may emphasize that “balancing your hormones” is a misleading term. The human body produces more than 50 different hormones—or chemical messengers—that regulate hundreds of bodily processes. It is normal and necessary for certain hormone levels to rise and fall in order to initiate and regulate processes like puberty, ovulation, menstruation, menopause, metabolism, and sleep. However, it is possible for bodies to produce too much or too little of certain hormones, which may require medical intervention. Symptoms of a sex hormone imbalance in people who menstruate may include acne, heavy or irregular periods, hair loss, hot flashes, low sex drive, an increase in body hair, and vaginal dryness. Explaining that hormonal birth control has been safely used for decades to prevent pregnancy, regulate menstrual cycles, and ease premenstrual symptoms is recommended. Messaging may confirm that birth control pills are safe, but like any other medication, they come with some possible risks and side effects. Highlighting other types of birth control and how they work is recommended. Communicators may stress that no form of birth control is 100 percent effective, so birth control pills work best when they are consistently used in combination with safer sex barriers like condoms.

Confusion about how abortion bans impact people experiencing miscarriage has persisted in recent months. In response, communicators may explain that the same medications and procedures used for abortions are sometimes used to treat people experiencing incomplete miscarriages. Abortion bans may delay lifesaving care, even in states that have exceptions in cases when the health or life of the pregnant person is at risk. Ensuring that informational materials covering local abortion laws are up to date—particularly in states with legal challenges and recent ballot measures—is recommended.

Conversations about IUD removal provide an opportunity to explain that it is safest to have a health care provider remove your IUD, as patients can hurt themselves if they attempt removal at home. Plus, rare complications can occur during an IUD removal that may require medical intervention. Sharing Planned Parenthood’s health center locator is recommended. Patients who are concerned about the cost of removing their IUD can call their local Planned Parenthood to learn about low-cost options. Communicators may also want to outline how often different types of IUDs need to be replaced.