Online Social Support for Medicaid-Eligible Pregnant Women

Medicaid-eligible pregnant women are a chronically stressed population with various negative perinatal effects due in part to their challenging financial status. Increasingly, they use social media to obtain social support; however, experiences of using social media for social support are unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of Medicaid-eligible pregnant women using Facebook groups. Semistructured interviews of pregnant women who used Facebook groups for social support were conducted. Eligibility or insurance coverage by Medicaid was considered as a proxy for low socioeconomic status. Thematic analysis was completed. Fourteen pregnant women were interviewed. Several themes were identified. The overarching theme was social support through an online community, connections, and information support with affirmation woven through to build connections. Participants felt nurses, midwives, and physicians should recommend Facebook groups to obtain social support. Most participants found their experiences via Facebook overwhelmingly positive, even if they had some negative encounters. Participants found social support via Facebook groups. Recommendations for nurses include recognizing social media as a venue to access social support, starting peer-led communities for Medicaid-eligible women using social media, and engaging in policy work on social media recommendations for pregnant women. It is unknown what effect this social support has on their chronic stress.