TikTok Videos Found Inaccurate on Birth Control but Tweet Volume Appears Authoritative on Endometrial Cancer

More than half of the top TikTok videos tagged #hormonalbirthcontrol contained inaccurate or misleading information, according to new research presented at the 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Clinical & Scientific Meeting. Researchers found that of the videos aimed at public health education (n=20), 55% delivered nonevidence-based or false content, while only 25% included evidence-based messaging or cited credible sources.1

The ACOG meeting opens today, May 16, and runs through Sunday, May 18, in Minneapolis, MN.

The study, led by Asiya Cummings, a research assistant at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, analyzed the 100 most-liked TikTok videos using the hashtag #hormonalbirthcontrol. The team employed the Apify application to collect data used validated assessment tools, Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and Development of a Quality Index for Health Information (DISCERN), to evaluate each video’s understandability, actionability, and overall quality. Three independent reviewers conducted the evaluations to ensure accuracy.1

Cummings and colleagues found that a majority of the 100 videos (n=50) were created by patients and centered on sharing personal experiences (n=43). Forty-six videos had an explicit intent to educate on hormonal birth control, yet most encouraged viewers to avoid this option (n=50). Of the small number of videos targeted clearly at public health education, just one-quarter (25%) appeared evidence-based or included citations.1 On average, the videos scored 52% for understandability and 20% for actionability on the PEMAT scale. The DISCERN quality score averaged just 32 out of a possible 80, reflecting a generally poor standard of health information.1

The findings underscore the growing influence “of social media on patient decision making," authors wrote in the abstract. ”With user-generated content significantly shaping health narratives, the study raises urgent concerns about the lack of quality control and the potential for widespread [medical] misinformation on social media platforms."1

Opposite Experience on Twitter

In notable contrast to the TikTok study, findings of an analysis of Twitter discourse associated with the hashtag #endometrialcancer showed not only increased frequency of discussion but with conversation led by health care professionals who are primarily sharing about clinical trials and resources, according to authors led by Sophia Greenblatt, of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.2

Greenblatt and colleagues found that Tweet volume using the hashtag #endometrialcancer rose by more than 50% between 2019 and 2022, increasing from 3,869 to 6,096. Health care providers and researchers made up 44.1% to 55.3% of contributors, followed by health care and research organizations. The researchers focused on top tweets and user characterization, according to the study abstract.2

Using Symplur Signals software to extract and analyze the data, which excluded non-English tweets and retweets, the researchers reviewed a total of 336 tweets for content, tone, and author type. Greenblatt et al categorized posts as “informational” (61%), personal “stories” (25%), or “other” (14%). Most tweets (82%) were neutral in tone, while 15% were positive and the remaining percentage classified as negative.2

“Social media plays an important role in health care discussions,” authors wrote in the study abstract, “as it spreads awareness and supports patients through their treatment, potentially improving outcomes for those affected by endometrial cancer.” These findings, compared with results of the TikTok analysis, suggest a positive trend in health care professional engagement in public health discourse on social media.

References
1. Cummings A, Ahmad M, Hafiz S. Exploring TikTok’s effect on perceptions and misinformation surrounding hormonal birth control. Abstract presented at 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Clinical & Scientific Meeting; May 16-18, 2025; Minneapolis, MN.
2. Greenblatt S, Glass M, Maron J, Stifani BM. Analyzing Twitter to investigate increased endometrial cancer discourse. Abstract presented at 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Clinical & Scientific Meeting; May 16-18, 2025; Minneapolis, MN.