Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 7 Issue: 5

Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study

Doğum sonrası annelerde laktasyonu artırmaya yönelik YouTube videolarının eğitsel kalitesi: kesitsel gözlemsel bir çalışma

Mustafa Törehan Aslan(Koc University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology,)0000-0002-3966-4635
Mehmet Semih Demirtaş(AKSARAY ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ, DAHİLİ TIP BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ, ÇOCUK SAĞLIĞI VE HASTALIKLARI ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0003-2965-1811
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-09-15
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Healthcare providers should direct parents to credible resources and produce evidence-based materials to enhance online breastfeeding education.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: YouTube is a popular source of breastfeeding advice, but the quality of videos on increasing breast milk supply remains uncertain.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Methods: In this cross-sectional study, YouTube was searched between July 2024 and January 2025 for the keyword “increasing breast milk.” An independent neonatologist and a social pediatrician evaluated each video using three validated tools: The DISCERN score (15-item quality measure, 1–5 per item; total 15–75), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks (0–4), and Global Quality Score (GQS, 1–5).
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Healthcare providers should direct parents to credible resources and produce evidence-based materials to enhance online breastfeeding education.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Breastfeeding · breastmilk · galactagog

Abstract

Aims: YouTube is a popular source of breastfeeding advice, but the quality of videos on increasing breast milk supply remains uncertain. We assessed the reliability and educational value of such content. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, YouTube was searched between July 2024 and January 2025 for the keyword “increasing breast milk.” An independent neonatologist and a social pediatrician evaluated each video using three validated tools: The DISCERN score (15-item quality measure, 1–5 per item; total 15–75), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks (0–4), and Global Quality Score (GQS, 1–5). Interrater reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation. Results: The 172 videos had a mean duration of 8.5±7.0 minutes (range 1.0–60.0 minutes) and a mean view count of 60.000±210.000 (8–1.700.000). Videos from academic institutions scored higher (DISCERN 45±12; JAMA 2.5±0.8; GQS 3.5±1.0) than those by individuals (DISCERN 25±8; JAMA 1.0±0.6; GQS 1.8±0.7; p<0.001). Educational videos had significantly greater quality than testimonial or promotional videos (p<0.001). Longer videos correlated strongly with quality (r≈0.55–0.60, p<0.001), while views/likes showed weak associations (r≈0.20, p<0.05). Comments had no correlation. Conclusion: Most YouTube videos on breast milk supply are poor in quality and educational value. Trusted sources (academia, healthcare) provided better content, whereas individual/promotional videos were often unreliable. Healthcare providers should direct parents to credible resources and produce evidence-based materials to enhance online breastfeeding education.

Özet

Amaç: YouTube, emzirme konusunda tavsiyeler için popüler bir kaynaktır, ancak anne sütü üretimini artırmaya yönelik videoların kalitesi belirsizliğini korumaktadır. Bu tür içeriklerin güvenilirliğini ve eğitici değerini değerlendirdik. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu kesitsel çalışmada, YouTube'da Temmuz 2024 ile Ocak 2025 tarihleri arasında "anne sütü artırma" anahtar kelimesiyle arama yapıldı. Bağımsız bir neonatolog ve bir sosyal pediatrist, her videoyu üç geçerli araç kullanarak değerlendirdi: DISCERN puanı (15 maddelik kalite ölçüsü, madde başına 1-5; toplam 15-75), Amerikan Tabipler Birliği Dergisi (JAMA) kıyaslamaları (0-4) ve Küresel Kalite Puanı (GQS, 1-5). Değerlendiriciler arası güvenilirlik, sınıf içi korelasyon ile değerlendirildi. Sonuçlar: 172 videonun ortalama süresi 8,5 ± 7,0 dakika (aralığı 1,0-60,0 dakika) ve ortalama izlenme sayısı 60.000 ± 210.000 (8-1.700.000) idi. Akademik kurumlardan gelen videolar (DISCERN 45 ± 12; JAMA 2,5 ± 0,8; GQS 3,5 ± 1,0) bireylerden gelen videolardan (DISCERN 25 ± 8; JAMA 1,0 ± 0,6; GQS 1,8 ± 0,7; p<0,001) daha yüksek puan aldı. Eğitim videolarının kalitesi, referans veya tanıtım videolarından önemli ölçüde daha yüksekti (p<0,001). Daha uzun videolar kaliteyle güçlü bir korelasyon gösterirken (r≈0,55-0,60, p<0,001), izlenme/beğeni sayıları zayıf bir ilişki vardı (r≈0,20, p<0,05). Yorumlar arasında ise korelasyon yoktu. Sonuçlar: Anne sütü üretimiyle ilgili YouTube videolarının çoğu kalite ve eğitim değeri açısından düşük. Güvenilir kaynaklar (akademik çevreler, sağlık sektörü) daha iyi içerik sunarken, bireysel/tanıtım videoları genellikle güvenilir değildi. Sağlık hizmeti sağlayıcıları, ebeveynleri güvenilir kaynaklara yönlendirmeli ve çevrimiçi emzirme eğitimini geliştirmek için kanıta dayalı materyaller üretmelidir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Aslan, M. T., Demirtaş, M. S. (2025). Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 7 Issue: 5. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1753591

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (18)

  1. Demirtas MS, Yalcin SS. The use of human milk for therapeutic purposes other than nutrition. Turk Arch Pediatr. 2022;57(3):255-266. doi:10.5152/TurkArchPediatr.2022.22075
  2. Piccolo O, Kinshella MW, Salimu S, et al. Healthcare worker perspectives on mother's insufficient milk supply in Malawi. Int Breastfeed J. 2022; 17(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13006-022-00460-1
  3. Almoayad F, Alhashem A, Alotaibi R, et al. YouTube video clips on breastfeeding education and promotion for Arabic-speaking populations: a social media content analysis. Breastfeed Med. 2024;19(9): 734-741. doi:10.1089/bfm.2024.0149
  4. Demirtas MS, Alici N. YouTube as a source of information on infantile colic. Pediatr Int. 2023;65(1):e15624. doi:10.1111/ped.15624
  5. Demirtas MS, Alici N. The reliability and quality of YouTube videos as a source of breath holding spell. Ital J Pediatr. 2024;50(1):8. doi:10.1186/s 13052-023-01570-0
  6. Osman W, Mohamed F, Elhassan M, Shoufan A. Is YouTube a reliable source of health-related information? A systematic review. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):382. doi:10.1186/s12909-022-03446-z
  7. Bezner SK, Hodgman EI, Diesen DL, et al. Pediatric surgery on YouTube: is the truth out there? J Pediatr Surg. 2014;49(4):586-589. doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2013.08.004
  8. Sehgal M, Jain D, Goel P, et al. An exploratory study on pediatric inguinal hernia videos on the YouTube platform. J Indian Assoc Pediatr Surg. 2022;27(5):588-593. doi:10.4103/jiaps.jiaps_240_21
  9. Azak M, Yilmaz B, Sahin N. Analysis of YouTube((c)) videos regarding breastfeeding during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Matern Child Health J. 2023;27(9):1548-1558. doi:10.1007/s10995-023-03722-4
  10. Demirtas MS, Kocagozoglu SG, Yalcin SS. YouTube as a source of information about air pollution on children's health: importance for public health. Int J Environ Health Res. 2025:pp.1-10. doi:10.1080/09603123. 2025.2474089
  11. Alacamli G, Yakar K. The reliability of YouTube as an information resource for parents about retinopathy of prematurity. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2025;62(1):42-49. doi:10.3928/01913913-20240911-04
  12. Aktar Ugurlu G, Ugurlu BN. Evaluating the quality and reliability of youtube videos on tympanostomy tubes: a comprehensive analysis for patients and parents. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):776. doi:10.1186/s 12889-025-21963-6
  13. Knight K, van Leeuwen DM, Roland D, Moll HA, Oostenbrink R. YouTube: are parent-uploaded videos of their unwell children a useful source of medical information for other parents? Arch Dis Child. 2017; 102(10):910-914. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2016-311967
  14. Uyar E, Saribas F. The assessment of YouTube videos as a source of information for amblyopia treatment. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2021;58(5):311-318. doi:10.3928/01913913-20210409-01
  15. Orbatu D, Yildirim Karaca S, Alaygut D, Karaca I. Educational features of YouTube videos depicting breastfeeding: quality, utility, and reliability analysis. Breastfeed Med. 2021;16(8):635-639. doi:10.1089/bfm.2020.0301
  16. Sari E, Umur LF. Quality analysis of hallux valgus videos on YouTube. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2021;111(5):10.7547/20-191. doi:10.7547/20-191
  17. Garip R, Sakallioglu AK. Evaluation of the educational quality and reliability of YouTube videos addressing eyelid ptosis surgery. Orbit. 2022;41(5):598-604. doi:10.1080/01676830.2021.1989467
  18. Exclusive breastfeeding rates by country (Global Breastfeeding Scorecard 2023). WHO; 2024.