# Evaluation of a Canadian social media platform for communicating perinatal health information during a pandemic

## TL;DR

Canadian doctors used Instagram to share pregnancy-related health info during the pandemic, and users found it helpful for making health decisions.

## Contribution

Demonstrates how healthcare professionals can use social media to improve public health behavior during crises.

## Key findings

- Users valued expert-led, lay-language explanations of scientific research on pregnancy and COVID-19.
- Followers reported increased likelihood to follow public health measures and get vaccinated due to PPG content.
- Top topics of interest included vaccination during pregnancy, infection risks, and pandemic-related labor and delivery.

## Abstract

Social media platforms, such as Instagram, are increasingly used as a source of health information; however, it is unclear how to effectively leverage these platforms during public health emergencies. @PandemicPregnancyGuide (PPG) was an Instagram account created by Canadian physicians to provide perinatal health information during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional survey, and assessed Instagram analytics, to determine how and why users followed PPG and its impact on health decision-making. Respondents most valued posts explaining scientific articles in lay language and the delivery of content by medical experts. Topics of greatest interest were COVID-19 vaccination while pregnant (76%), COVID-19 infection during pregnancy (71%), and labour and delivery during the pandemic (69%). Respondents self-reported being more likely to use COVID-19 protective measures while pregnant (80%), receive COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy (87%), and vaccinate their children against COVID-19 (58%) due to the information shared by PPG. Taken together, we demonstrate how healthcare professionals can effectively leverage social media to disseminate health information and improve uptake of public health recommendations. We recommend consideration of our findings in the development of future health-based social media platforms, particularly during public health emergencies or campaigns.

During public health crises, many people turn to social media for reliable health information, but it’s unclear how to use these platforms most effectively. The Instagram account @PandemicPregnancyGuide (PPG) was created by Canadian doctors to share trustworthy pregnancy-related health information during COVID-19. We surveyed PPG followers and analyzed their engagement with the account to understand (1) why people used PPG and (2) how it influenced their health decisions. Followers valued clear, expert-led explanations of scientific research, particularly on COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy, COVID infection risks during pregnancy, and giving birth during the pandemic. Many reported that PPG made them more likely to follow COVID-19 prevention measures (public health recommendations), get vaccinated during pregnancy, and vaccinate their children. In summary, our findings show how doctors can use social media to effectively deliver accurate health information and promote uptake of public health preventative behaviors. These insights are of value to future health communication efforts.