My Video, My Choice: A Quantitative Content Analysis of U.S. OBGYN TikTok Videos in the Post-Roe Era

Abstract

The overturning of Roe v. Wade dramatically altered the landscape of reproductive health care in the United States, yet the extent to which OBGYN influencers on TikTok (i.e., board-certified doctors who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology and have a large following on the social media platform TikTok) used their public platform during this time remains unexplored. This study conducted a content analysis of 441 TikTok videos to identify the most common health concerns raised by OBGYN influencers, their overall responses to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, and the strategies they used to combat stigma and misinformation surrounding women’s sexual and reproductive health. Results indicate that a rapidly changing legal landscape has created a complicated terrain for OBGYNs to navigate, where uncertainty and perhaps fear dictate how and to what extent OBGYNs openly discuss abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade on public platforms such as TikTok. The OBGYNs in the sample worked around these legal confines to share vital reproductive health information, combat stigma, and express their concerns over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision. Surprisingly, OBGYNs in the sample rarely addressed sexual and reproductive health misinformation. Implications for these findings are discussed.