Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 2 hrs ago
Women’s health businesses say Instagram restrictions hurt their reach
Instagram removed adverts for pregnancy pillows sold by a company run by Irene Breen, after flagging the word “pregnancy.”
Meta later told her the word was the problem, and the business changed its product name and website links.
The restrictions took 10 months to lift, and Breen said the delay caused significant financial harm.
Other women’s health creators, charities and businesses say their posts have been removed, filtered or shown to fewer people, a practice known as shadowbanning.
Nearly all respondents in a CensHERship survey said they had experienced some kind of restriction; the group surveyed nearly 200 people and organisations.
The group also found more respondents were censoring themselves, often by changing words or avoiding topics.
The restrictions can make health information harder to find, including information that may help people recognise symptoms and speak with a doctor.
Meta says it allows advertising for wellness, sexual health and reproductive products, but applies restrictions to avoid negative experiences across countries and cultures.
Women’s health businesses, creators and charities say Instagram has restricted or reduced the reach of their content.
Irene Breen said Instagram removed adverts for her company’s pregnancy pillows after flagging the word “pregnancy”.
She said it took 10 months of discussions with Meta to lift the restrictions, and her business suffered a significant financial hit.
Meta said its advertising rules aim to prevent users across countries and cultures from having a negative experience.
A CensHERship survey found that 96% of nearly 200 respondents had experienced restrictions in some form.
- Who
- Women’s health businesses, creators and charities say Instagram restrictions have affected their content. Meta said its rules are intended to protect users.
- What
- They say content has been removed, filtered or had its reach reduced, including adverts for pregnancy pillows.
- When
- Breen received the notification in January 2025. The restrictions were eventually lifted after 10 months of discussions.
- Where
- Instagram.
- Why
- Meta said restrictions are intended to avoid users across countries and cultures having a negative experience. The company did not comment on specific cases.
Women’s health businesses and advocates
Meta
Content restrictions
Women’s health businesses and advocates
Businesses and advocates say women’s health content has been removed, filtered or had its reach suppressed.
Meta
Meta said there are restrictions on adverts for wellness, sexual health and reproductive products and services to avoid a negative user experience across countries and cultures.
Clio Wood said CensHERship began.
Instagram notified Irene Breen that it was removing adverts for her company’s pregnancy pillows.
Breen said the restrictions were lifted after 10 months of conversations with Meta.
CensHERship found that 53% of respondents were self-censoring because of shadowbanning.
CensHERship found that 65% of respondents were self-censoring.
- Survey respondents
- Nearly 200 creators, clinical providers, health brands, charities and educators
- Survey experience
- 96% said they had experienced restrictions in some form
- Self-censoring in 2025
- 53% of respondents
- Self-censoring this year
- 65% of respondents
- Breen’s discussions with Meta
- 10 months
What people are saying
We had to scrub the word from our entire website… from the product name
women's health historically has been surrounded by shame and guilt… and we are just reinforcing [that]
It's all very well the policy saying XYZ content is allowed, but if the algorithm is still flagging all of that content and suppressing it, that's where the problem comes in