How Censorship Impacts Women’s Wellness & Malta's Healthy Dining
The censorship of women’s health content on major digital platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google is raising concerns about the suppression of essential wellness conversations. This issue has significantly impacted businesses promoting women’s health products, such as BellaMoon and Hertility, whose advertisements have been blocked or restricted. These policies have created challenges for women seeking access to products and information related to pregnancy, fertility, and menopause, highlighting a broader societal issue. For Malta, a country with a strong focus on health and wellness, this presents both challenges and opportunities. Local food and wellness businesses can step in to foster supportive spaces for women’s health discussions. Restaurants can emphasize nutrient-rich Mediterranean dishes, and wellness retreats can offer educational programs on topics like fertility and menopause. By addressing these gaps, Malta’s food and wellness sector has the chance to lead in promoting holistic living and empowering women to take charge of their health.
Title: "Why Women’s Health Faces Unfair Censorship: The Impact on Wellness Conversations and Lifestyle Choices"
Keywords: Women's Health, Pregnancy, Censorship, Meta, Maternity, Healthy Lifestyle, Malta
In today’s digital age, where conversations around health and wellness should thrive, it seems that certain topics are being disproportionately silenced. Women’s health, including issues like pregnancy, menopause, and infertility, is facing an unprecedented level of censorship by major platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Google. This suppression not only stifles important conversations but also impacts businesses promoting products that support women’s wellbeing—many of which align with a healthy lifestyle ethos embraced by communities worldwide, including Malta.
Companies such as BellaMoon, a boutique brand from Ireland, and Hertility, a provider of at-home hormone and fertility tests, have spoken out about the challenges they’ve faced in advertising their products. BellaMoon’s flagship product, a pregnancy pillow designed to enhance comfort and rest, was blocked by Meta in January after being misclassified as a medical device. This forced the company to remove the word “pregnancy” from all marketing materials, essentially erasing the core identity of their product. CEO Irene Breen shared, “They made us feel like pregnancy was a bad word,” illustrating the emotional toll this censorship has had on business owners and consumers alike.
Meta’s updated health advertising policies, implemented in January 2025, were intended to protect sensitive health data. However, they inadvertently created hurdles for femtech businesses—companies focused on women’s health and wellness technology. While the intention of these policies may have been to prevent misuse of personal health data, the application appears uneven. Ads promoting men’s health products, such as erectile dysfunction treatments or sperm testing services, continue to thrive on these platforms. Meanwhile, women’s health products, including fertility and menopause-related items, are consistently blocked or restricted.
For women in Malta who prioritize health and wellness, this issue extends beyond digital advertising—it speaks to the larger societal challenge of ensuring access to important information about their bodies. Whether it’s learning about fertility tests or seeking products to improve sleep during pregnancy, these conversations are essential for achieving a holistic approach to health. Malta has always been a hub for vibrant community discussions around physical and mental wellbeing, yet the global online censorship of women’s health content risks silencing voices that champion these values.
BellaMoon’s experience highlights the financial and emotional strain caused by these restrictions. In the ten months since their ads were blocked, the company invested over £100,000 in ad campaigns that failed to reach their intended audience. Their traffic from Meta advertisements plummeted from 70% to just 20%, leading to a significant drop in revenue. Like many wellness-focused businesses, they were left scrambling to adapt, even resorting to changing their product names and URLs to remove terms like “pregnancy” and “nursing.” These measures have had a catastrophic impact on their visibility online. Breen shared how the ordeal pushed her into “survival mode” and even required counseling to cope with the stress.
Hertility, which specializes in hormone and fertility tests regulated by the MHRA, faced similar challenges. The company was reclassified by Meta as a “health and wellness condition” advertiser in February, a move that blocked ads reaching up to 600,000 women per month. Co-founder Deirdre O'Neill lamented, “We are being punished by the algorithm,” adding that ads for men’s hormone and sexual health services continue to run uninterrupted. For women in Malta, access to such tests and wellness products could provide valuable insights into their health, enabling them to make informed lifestyle choices that promote vitality and longevity.
The inconsistency in the enforcement of these policies has sparked accusations of systemic bias and discrimination. O’Neill pointed out that while ads for sperm testing are freely promoted, ads for egg testing and products that support women’s libido are censored. This disparity not only hinders businesses but also limits women’s access to products and services that could support their mental and physical health during life transitions such as menopause.
This issue comes against the backdrop of increasing sensitivity around women’s health data, spurred by lawsuits such as the one involving Flo Health, the period-tracking app. In September, Google and Flo Health were ordered to pay $56 million (£43 million) for violating privacy laws, while Meta was found liable by a jury. While these actions aim to protect sensitive health information, they have unintentionally suppressed legitimate advertisements for products that women need, according to Anna O’Sullivan, co-founder of CensHERship. O’Sullivan argues, “How can we own these conversations about our bodies when we are being penalised?”
For Malta’s thriving community of health-conscious individuals, this censorship creates challenges but also opportunities. Food, lifestyle, and wellness brands in Malta can step up and provide alternative platforms for empowering women’s health conversations. Restaurants promoting healthy, balanced meals and local producers offering nutrient-rich ingredients can align their messaging with women’s wellness needs. For example, a dining establishment specializing in Mediterranean cuisine could highlight dishes rich in omega-3s and folate, nutrients essential for pregnancy and hormonal health. Similarly, wellness retreats in Malta could incorporate educational programs addressing menopause or fertility, providing a safe space for open dialogue.
As global platforms grapple with the complexities of data protection and advertising policies, Malta’s food and wellness sector has the chance to innovate and provide value. By fostering supportive environments for women’s health discussions, businesses can position themselves as champions of holistic living. This is especially relevant in a country where the Mediterranean diet, recognized for its health benefits, is a cornerstone of cultural identity.
Ultimately, addressing the censorship of women’s health content is about more than advertising—it’s about creating a world where women feel empowered to take charge of their health and wellbeing. For Malta, a nation that prides itself on community and wellness, this is an opportunity to lead the way in promoting inclusivity, education, and a healthy lifestyle for all.