Introduction Women have many concerns about contraception which can put them off using reliable methods, and their worries may not surface in consultations with health professionals. An online intervention can offer convenient help with decisions. We describe the design and development of the Contraception Choices website which addresses myths and misconceptions about contraception, and provides tailored recommendations for contraceptive methods.

Methods We gathered several sources of evidence: 1) A qualitative synthesis of systematic reviews of factors influencing contraceptive choice; 2) Views on contraception expressed on YouTube (35 videos); 3) A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of interactive digital interventions for contraceptive decision-making; 4) A narrative synthesis of reviews of interventions for contraceptive decision-making; 5) Seven focus groups with 75 women aged 15 to 30 recruited in clinical settings, to explore beliefs and concerns about contraception and suggestions for website content.

YouTube videos and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Themes from the qualitative field work and findings from the evidence reviews were tabulated, and implications for the design of the Contraception Choices website were debated.

Results The most common myths and misconceptions about contraception were worries about hormones being unnatural, weight gain, altered bleeding patterns, cancer and future infertility. The Contraception Choices website addresses women’s concerns through videos, information which highlights contraception benefits, and an interactive tool which gives tailored suggestions for contraceptive methods.

Discussion The role of digital decision-aids for contraception will be discussed. The website will be tested in a pilot randomised controlled trial starting in March 2017.