‘We need to dig to find out where the information comes from’: Fighting misinformation to keep women and girls healthy

Misinformation is everywhere, particularly pertaining to women's health. A physician's first step in combatting it is to dig deeper. When a woman is hesitant about a recommended treatment or procedure, ask why. Find out the basis for her concern, advises Dr. Diane Francoeur, president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.Often the source of their worry comes from false information about women’s health. This is why the SOCG released a statement calling health information and disinformation a form of violence against women.“When we talk about psychological violence, it’s a pattern of behaviour that uses coercion, threats, control, humiliation or isolates a person,” Dr. Francoeur said. All these apply to the spread of false information on women’s health.Misinformation and disinformation is pervasive on social media and “is stealing a woman’s opportunity to make the best decision for herself,” Dr. Francoeur said when asked to comment by the Medical Post.Social media influencers are often paid to promote services or products that are not based on science. False information is repeated again and again until it seems true because no one questioned it. A platform’s algorithm can create an echo chamber, where misleading or outright false information is repeated again and again by similar influencers. “At the end of the day, it’s a bunch of lies that is repeated over and over, so it’s kind of controlling their mind.”Dr. Francoeur provided three examples of where misinformation hurt women.ContraceptionA patient in Dr. Francoeur’s clinic recently admitted hesitancy around a getting an IUD, even though the patient wanted one. The patient had heard on TikTok that it would hurt and that she wouldn’t be able to do sports. “All her questions were not related to any science at all,” Dr. Francoeur said. The candidate was a good candidate for IUD and if Dr. Francoeur hadn’t inquired about the basis of her concerns and dispelled them, “she would have missed a good opportunity for herself.” InfertilityOften women who experience fertility issues feel like they are to blame for not conceiving, Dr. Francoeur said. Add false information to enhance that feeling that they are responsible for their failure to conceive, “and then it’s easier to sell them some magic tea or some kind of vitamin that has never been approved or studied and makes them believe it will fix their problem.” Dr. Francoeur cited a Radio-Canada investigation on the Gyna platform, which promises women success in their fertility journey with a tailored program based on their hormonal cycle, but instead, after the client pays, provides general reading material rife with advice not based on scientific evidence. Pregnancy and vaccinationThe spread of false information about vaccination during pregnancy is a prime example of harm. For example, there is a lot of disinformation and misinformation about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, even though numerous studies, including recent ones using data from Canada and France, highlight the benefit and safety of the vaccines. When there’s a shortage of healthcare professionals, or poor access to healthcare, “Women take the information where they can get it,” Dr. Francoeur noted. Often, they turn to social media.The SOGC wants the federal government to fund a national women’s health data dashboard in order to track outcomes, inform evidence-based policy and fight misinformation. It’s also calling on all levels of government to take “concrete and aggressive steps to combat misinformation in women’s health.” This can include policy or regulatory tools to ensure social media platforms limit the spread of false information.“We need to reassure young women and young girls that we’re going to be there and science is going to be there for you to make the best decisions for yourself,” Dr. Francoeur said. Without resources, “They’re left alone with their phone at night. And that’s not okay.”The SOGC released their statement in time for UNESCO’s Global Media and Information Literacy Week, held from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31 in 2025.

‘We need to dig to find out where the information comes from’: Fighting misinformation to keep women and girls healthy

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