How Does Social Media Affect us in Our Pregnant and Postpartum Periods

It is no secret that social media has a huge impact on mental health in general. There are both pros and cons associated with engaging in social media. Pros consist of finding support in online communities, education on different relevant topics, and things such as awareness and advocacy. Cons associated with social media often consist of; misinformation, unrealistic ideals and social comparison, and lower self esteem as a result. Both pros and cons can exist simultaneously, and it is important that we acknowledge these things if we continue to use social media in our pregnancy and postpartum periods.   

How does social media directly affect our mental health in our pregnancy and postpartum periods?

According to research that has been conducted, social media is a great resource for people to receive emotional support, especially in high-risk pregnancies. Women who are high-risk who engage in Facebook support groups reported increased knowledge, confidence, and reduced feelings of isolation and loneliness (Aftab, 2025). Not only this, but it has also been reported that pregnant women often use social media to learn information regarding healthy nutrition, birth planning, and even things such as baby care (Aftab, 2025). Finally, women may feel empowered by some of the content they see when using social media (Aftab, 2025). With all of this being said, it is essential to remember to take social media information with a grain of salt as social media is not always the answer for everything.

With all of this information in mind, it is important to also acknowledge the possible cons associated with social media usage as well as the pros. As mentioned earlier, it is so important to remember that not everything we see on social media is true. One of the most common cons associated with social media is the spread of misinformation (Aftab, 2025). Believing in false information often times leads to delays in receiving safe, valuable care. Not only this but social media often leads to comparison to what we are seeing online. Comparison often leads to things such as body dissatisfaction, stress, depression and anxiety (Aftab, 2025).

Looking back

            With all of this information in mind, it is obvious why social media can be seen as such a valuable tool for women in their pregnant, or postpartum periods. For centuries, women have been burdened with the unrealistic expectations and standards that have been set into place by society. In some instances, social media can help individuals challenge these standards and expectations by gaining a support system of peers. In other instances, which is more common, social media can add to these stigmas and expectations as everyone wants to be seen as, “the perfect mother”. But the truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect mother or even as a perfect parent. When we are using social media, it is important to remind ourselves that we are only seeing what that individual wants us to see. We don’t see the all of the things that could be interpreted as ‘negative’. Next time you catch yourself comparing yourself to someone else on social media, ask yourself this; “If everyone in the world put all of their problems into a giant jar, and you had to randomly pull one our – knowing you couldn’t get your own back – would you take the deal?”. In most instances, people wouldn’t risk trading their misfortunes with other people.

References

Aftab, N. (2025, August 18). Social media use during pregnancy: Risks and benefits for Women’s Health. Cureus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12443360/