Teens have participated in dangerous viral challenges in the past that involved them eating cleaning products, or most recently, contaminating food in grocery stores.
Now, there’s a new viral trend that’s wrongly telling teens that at-home pregnancy tests contain emergency contraceptives.
There are many benefits to social media.
These platforms give us a chance to connect with friends, share pictures, and find out about new products and services.
However, we also know that misinformation can spread rapidly on social media channels.
All it takes is for one false post to go viral, and soon people will start believing what they see without asking further questions.
This can be especially dangerous among teenagers and young people.
These individuals might be more susceptible to believing false health information that could lead to dangerous consequences.
Experts are now concerned after seeing reports and videos of teens taking apart at-home pregnancy tests.
According to the teens in these videos, the pregnancy tests contain the Plan B pill, an emergency contraceptive to be used after unprotected sex or in cases where the primary birth control failed.
However, what these teens are identifying as the Plan B pill is actually the test’s moisture-absorbing desiccant tablet.
These tablets are often found in packaging and absorb moisture so that the product will work properly.
The primary source of these rumours come from videos shared on a popular app called TikTok.
TikTok allows users to upload short videos and tag them with viral hashtags. The pregnancy test rumors emerged as a part of a trend known as “The Clearblue Challenge”.
In the videos you can see users taking apart the tests to try and find the desiccant tablet.
Most users are typically surprised to see the tablet and conclude that the rumors about the included Plan B pill must be true.
However, there has also been a number of videos created trying to set the record straight.
Other users have been making their own versions of these videos explaining what the tablet actually is. People have also commented on the original videos trying to dispell any misinformation.
Pregnancy test manufacturers like Clearblue have become aware of the challenge and have added extra information to their website about the tablets.
“Clearblue pregnancy tests do NOT contain Plan B pills. All our tests have a small desiccant tablet which is included to absorb moisture and should not be eaten,” a spokesperson said to Parents.com .
The company also advised anyone who has mistakenly ingested the tablet to seek medical advice.
“If accidentally ingested we ask people to please seek medical advice and for any further questions contact our careline at 1-800-321-3279,” Clearblue said.
Plan B or its generic forms are only available at pharmacies.
It is the only emergency contraceptive that is available over-the-counter and can be purchased by anyone, regardless of age or gender.
Furthermore, it is most effective when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
Typically, the earliest a woman can take a pregnancy test is two weeks after conception. By that time, an emergency contraceptive like Plan B would not be effective or safe.
The best way to make sure your teen doesn’t fall for viral videos like these is to have an open and honest discussion with them about sex.
The more informed they are, the less likely they are to fall for misinformation on social media.
Knowledge about contraceptive options can help teens prevent unwanted pregnancies and stop them from contracting STDs.
Really, the last place you want a teen to find out this information is from social media, because as these videos prove, the information that’s out there is usually wrong.
So while it can be a bit awkward at first, having “the talk” with your teen is more important now than ever before.
It’s getting more difficult for parents to monitor their teen’s social media use, but giving them the tools they need can help them safely navigate the false information floating around online.
