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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had in the past undergone traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas are gaining more general purchase. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to empower women in making decisions. Policymakers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.