Ahead of national Fertility Awareness Week, experts are warning people not to seek out fertility advice on TikTok. The social platform has seen an explosion of searches for information related to infertility, conception and pregnancy, but specialists are advising people to stick to trusted sources.
On TikTok, posts which feature the hashtag #ttccommunity – the ttc part standing for trying to conceive – have received more than 1.3 billion views to date. Meanwhile, #eggretrieval has had more than 50 million views and there have been 11.4 million views of posts about #unexplainedinfertility. The advice shared in the videos is not moderated nor fact-checked.
Fertility experts warn TikTok is not the place to seek out any kind of medical advice and guidance, with some TikTok influencers now offering baseless advice or even charging for spurious services such as fertility horoscopes, psychic pregnancy readings or ‘special’ herbal teas to help boost chances of getting pregnant. Others, including some medical professionals, may be providing generalised advice or snappy, simplified tips which shouldn’t be taken at face value by TikTok users, say the experts.
Sandy Christiansen, embryologist and Fertility Coach at Bėa Fertility, said: “As a fertility coach and embryologist I’ve spoken to hundreds of women about every aspect of fertility you can think of. What’s concerning is that increasing numbers of people are coming to me armed with incorrect information, concerns and questions they’ve found on the internet.
"Researching your fertility options online is a completely logical thing to do, but it’s vital that couples or individuals looking to conceive don’t turn to the wrong sources. Each fertility journey is different and conception is a complex process that can’t be condensed into a snappy social media post or video.
"Using social networks as a way to seek out community and support can be incredibly helpful, but I’d encourage users to be wary of any accounts that try to push specific products, treatments or radical advice online – they likely don’t have your best interests at heart. Always speak to a medical professional or sector specialist when it comes to your fertility.”
Jenny Saft, CEO of fertility platform Apryl, added: "There are lots of highly qualified clinicians creating supportive communities for people trying to conceive on social media. But there are also people who are sharing advice without reliable sources or the right qualifications.
"For many people, the journey towards parenthood can be a time of increased vulnerability. They are therefore susceptible to wild claims or risky advice."
Fertility Awareness Week runs from October 31 to November 4.
