Research Article

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

Volume: 7 Number: 5 September 15, 2025
TR EN

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

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.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was not obtained as the study did not include human participation and the use of animal experiments, and information was obtained from a public platform

Thanks

None

References

  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

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Infant and Child Health

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

September 15, 2025

Submission Date

July 29, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 14, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 7 Number: 5

APA
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, 7(5), 703-708. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1753591
AMA
1.Aslan MT, Demirtaş MS. Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025;7(5):703-708. doi:10.38053/acmj.1753591
Chicago
Aslan, Mustafa Törehan, and Mehmet Semih Demirtaş. 2025. “Educational Quality of YouTube Videos on Enhancing Lactation in Postpartum Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7 (5): 703-8. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1753591.
EndNote
Aslan MT, Demirtaş MS (September 1, 2025) Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7 5 703–708.
IEEE
[1]M. T. Aslan and M. S. Demirtaş, “Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study”, Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj, vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 703–708, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.38053/acmj.1753591.
ISNAD
Aslan, Mustafa Törehan - Demirtaş, Mehmet Semih. “Educational Quality of YouTube Videos on Enhancing Lactation in Postpartum Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7/5 (September 1, 2025): 703-708. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1753591.
JAMA
1.Aslan MT, Demirtaş MS. Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025;7:703–708.
MLA
Aslan, Mustafa Törehan, and Mehmet Semih Demirtaş. “Educational Quality of YouTube Videos on Enhancing Lactation in Postpartum Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, vol. 7, no. 5, Sept. 2025, pp. 703-8, doi:10.38053/acmj.1753591.
Vancouver
1.Mustafa Törehan Aslan, Mehmet Semih Demirtaş. Educational quality of YouTube videos on enhancing lactation in postpartum mothers: a cross-sectional observational study. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025 Sep. 1;7(5):703-8. doi:10.38053/acmj.1753591

Cited By

 

TR DİZİN ULAKBİM and International Indexes (1b)
 

Interuniversity Board (UAK) Equivalency:  Article published in Ulakbim TR Index journal [10 POINTS], and Article published in other (excuding 1a, b, c) international indexed journal (1d) [5 POINTS]

Note: Our journal is not WOS indexed and therefore is not classified as Q.

You can download Council of Higher Education (CoHG) [Yüksek Öğretim Kurumu (YÖK)] Criteria) decisions about predatory/questionable journals and the author's clarification text and journal charge policy from your browser. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/journal/3449/file/4924/show

 

Journal Indexes and Platforms: 

TR Dizin ULAKBİM, Google Scholar, Crossref, Worldcat (OCLC), DRJI, EuroPub, OpenAIRE, Turkiye Citation Index, Turk Medline, ROAD, ICI World of Journal's, Index Copernicus, ASOS Index, General Impact Factor, Scilit.


 

The indexes of the journal's are;


 

download?token=eyJhdXRoX3JvbGVzIjpbXSwiZW5kcG9pbnQiOiJqb3VybmFsIiwib3JpZ2luYWxuYW1lIjoiVHJfSW5kZXhfbG9nby5wbmciLCJwYXRoIjoiMDFiOS82MmZhLzA3MzMvNjlkZjNlNTdhMmI4ZjkuODYxMzMxMjQucG5nIiwiZXhwIjoxNzc2MjQxNzY3LCJub25jZSI6ImQyMTQ4MjdiNTg1ZjVmMGQwYzAzZTMxNzMwM2QwMThmIn0.RmnGvwR536HdIoKpGO-ApytZ5aRPRT_BFXE2EpGSIqc

asos-index.png
 
f9ab67f.png
 
WorldCat_Logo_H_Color.png
 

 

18596download?token=eyJhdXRoX3JvbGVzIjpbXSwiZW5kcG9pbnQiOiJqb3VybmFsIiwib3JpZ2luYWxuYW1lIjoiT3BlbkFpcmUuanBnIiwicGF0aCI6IjUyMWYvZjljYy8wMDk3LzY5ZGYzZDNiYmVkZGU0LjQzNDM2OTU3LmpwZyIsImV4cCI6MTc3NjI0MTQ4NCwibm9uY2UiOiIwYjgxZDE2NzRiNzhjMWQyOGVmMDM1OTA1MzI5NjdjZiJ9.xeFppR1ubA4i-dHG-u07ht9bQNogFheXQjLyEaP9GgAimages?q=tbn:ANd9GcQgDnBwx0yUPRKuetgIurtELxYERFv20CPAUcPe4jYrrJiwXzac8rGXlzd57gl8iikb1Tk&usqp=CAU

 

84039476_619085835534619_7808805634291269632_n.jpg

 

 

 

The platforms of the journal's are;
 

COPE.jpg
 
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbq2FM8NTdXECzlOUCeKQ1dvrISFL-LhxhC7zy1ZQeJk-GGKSx2XkWQvrsHxcfhtfHWxM&usqp=CAUicmje_1_orig.png
 
 
ncbi.png
 
ORCID_logo.pngimages?q=tbn:ANd9GcQlwX77nfpy3Bu9mpMBZa0miWT2sRt2zjAPJKg2V69ODTrjZM1nT1BbhWzTVPsTNKJMZzQ&usqp=CAU
 

 

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTaWSousoprPWGwE-qxwxGH2y0ByZ_zdLMN-Oq93MsZpBVFOTfxi9uXV7tdr39qvyE-U0I&usqp=CAU
 


 


 

 


 


The indexes/platforms of the journal are;
 

TR Dizin Ulakbim, Crossref (DOI), Google Scholar, EuroPub, Directory of Research Journal İndexing (DRJI), Worldcat (OCLC), OpenAIRE, ASOS Index, ROAD, Turkiye Citation Index, ICI World of Journal's, Index Copernicus, Turk Medline, General Impact Factor, Scilit 
 


Journal articles are evaluated as "Double-Blind Peer Review"

 

All articles published in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY NC ND)