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In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.

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

Examining the Risks and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are gaining more general purchase. 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 operation that trains women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed 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 need for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of data 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 science-based healthcare is not compromised.