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Despite all the proven advances of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Online Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular business offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach 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.

Examining the Dangers and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had in the past experienced traumatic births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more general traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.