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In spite of all the established progress of modern medicine, certain people are attracted to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester fetal deaths 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,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Risks and Background

Giving birth 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 lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent 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 interviewed for the inquiry had previously undergone traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

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 unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available 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 automated systems used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also create plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.