“Have you ever performed a C-section on a 12-year-old?”: A content analysis of TikTok videos related to abortion as healthcare

Abstract

In recent years, many medical professionals and institutions have been sharing the message: “abortion is healthcare” (Cohen et al., 2022). This type of messaging positions abortion as essential healthcare, as opposed to a “choice.” This content analysis of videos from a search of “abortion is healthcare” on TikTok (<i>N</i>=90) lends understanding to what health-related content characteristics are most common and which relate to differing levels of social media engagement from TikTok users. Central findings include TikTok videos that discuss abortion access for minors have higher likes and shares, and videos that discuss the legal consequences of abortion receive less engagement. Implications for advocates for reproductive rights and ideas for future research are discussed.