Where do you go when you have a question about your health?

Increasingly, the answer is social media. TikTok, Instagram and other platforms have become places where people don't just socialise – they actively search for information. And fertility is certainly no exception.

There is some fantastic fertility information available online. There are also people sharing their own fertility experiences, which can provide invaluable support and help others feel less alone. However, personal experience and evidence-based fertility advice are not the same thing.

Unfortunately, mixed amongst the good information is misinformation, unrealistic promises and advice from people who may have no recognised fertility or healthcare qualifications at all.

Perhaps part of the problem starts much earlier.

For many of us, fertility education when we were younger focused almost entirely on preventing pregnancy. We were taught how not to get pregnant, but very little about our reproductive health, how fertility changes throughout our lives or what might affect our future fertility.

That leaves a gap – and social media is very good at filling gaps.

One area where this becomes particularly important is age. We regularly see stories of celebrities having babies in their 40s and beyond. Of course, pregnancy after 40 absolutely can and does happen. But these stories don't always give us the complete picture.

Female fertility declines with age, particularly as both the number and quality of eggs reduce. A celebrity pregnancy at 42 or 45 doesn't tell us how long that person tried to conceive, whether fertility treatment was required or whether donor eggs or previously frozen eggs were used.

The problem isn't celebrating those pregnancies. The problem comes when exceptional stories begin to feel like evidence that age doesn't matter.

I've also seen online fertility advice suggesting that people shouldn't worry about their age or making claims that a particular programme, supplement, diet or fertility coach can help somebody become pregnant. We need to be incredibly careful with messages like these. Fertility is complex, and nobody can guarantee a pregnancy.

This doesn't mean frightening people into having children before they're ready. It means giving people accurate information early enough to make informed choices.

For some, that may simply mean understanding their reproductive health. For others, it could mean seeking advice earlier if they experience problems or considering fertility preservation such as egg freezing. Egg freezing isn't an insurance policy and cannot guarantee a future baby, but for some people it may offer an opportunity to preserve younger eggs for potential future use.

Healthcare professionals have an important role here too. Fertility shouldn't only be discussed once somebody arrives at a fertility clinic. Professionals working outside specialist fertility services also need access to reliable information so they feel able to have appropriate preconception and fertility conversations and signpost people to trusted sources. Resources such as the forthcoming RCN Fertility Nursing Forum preconception guidance can help support those conversations.

Social media isn't going anywhere – nor should it.

But perhaps the answer to fertility misinformation isn't simply telling people where not to look. It's making sure that good-quality, evidence-based fertility education is available early enough that people are better equipped to recognise what they can trust.

Because when it comes to our fertility, good information doesn't take choices away from us.

It gives us more of them.