Over one billion people use TikTok every month, and countless videos are created on a daily basis covering a variety of topics. But new research has found that fake news and misinformation runs rampant on the social media site, even in the realm of parenting and pregnancy.

NewsGuard – a website dedicated to monitoring the spread of misinformation online – recently released a study on TikTok. It found that 1 in 5 search results on the platform contains false information.

RELATED: How To Safely Practice Yoga During Pregnancy

The misinformation is particularly ripe within help and home remedy videos. For example, amid the baby formula shortage in the United States, an alarming amount of TikTok videos began circulating promoting the use of DIY baby formula.

Though many of the videos said creating at-home formula was safe and comparable to store-bought, experts warn this is a very dangerous (and misinformed practice).

Similarly, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, videos explaining how to create at-home remedies for abortions increased on TikTok. These videos promoted a variety of practices to induce a miscarriage, including bitter garnish parsley to mugwort. But, again, medical experts warn that abortions aren’t safe if not performed by an experienced medical professional.

8 Reasons New Moms Should Make A TikTok Account

The point is that basically anyone can get on TikTok and create a video promoting any information they want, right or wrong. TikTok’s algorithm can make a video go viral incredibly fast and without warning, giving people access to misinformation that they don’t necessarily realize is wrong or potentially dangerous.

This is hardly the first study to underscore the impact of social media on pregnancy information and prenatal health.

One study from 2018 found that 80% of adults from the ages of 18 to 24 are likely to engage and trust the information they receive from social media, which underscored how easily misinformation can spread online.

But not all studies have found that social media has a negative bearing on prenatal health. For instance, one study found that social media and health apps can serve as positive interventions, and can help manage weight, gestational diabetes, and asthma during pregnancy and postpartum. Another study found that, while pregnant women rely on social media for information and emotional-social support, it’s also linked to negative affect and self-criticism, making it a double-edged sword.

The takeaway is that while social media can sometimes offer insightful information, it’s always best to verify with a medical professional to ensure your knowledge is correct.

Sources: Wallroom Media, NCBI, UTSW Med, PLOS, NewsGuard,