with @DrEmilyPfender: what a PhD in Health Communication Sees Online

In this episode of I Did My Own Research, Dr. Fran is joined by Dr. Emily Pfender, a PhD-trained health communication researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, to break down what’s actually happening with women’s health information on social media.

From viral birth control fear-mongering to preeclampsia misinformation shared by self-identified “medical providers,” Dr. Pfender walks us through how her team analyzes online content—and what they’ve found when they put that content in front of real patients.

They dive into why extreme, emotional videos outperform nuanced medical information, how even researchers can feel pulled in by misleading trends, and what it means when clinicians themselves contribute to misinformation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether social media is a net positive or negative for reproductive health—or how to tell who’s truly qualified to give advice—this conversation is a must-listen.

Dr. Pfender's social media: @EmilyPfender

Dr. Fran's social media: @PagingDrFran