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Despite all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies 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 in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online 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 one such business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood 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 justified. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unorthodox 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 paranoia about official advice.

Worry is growing that such ideas are gaining more widespread traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.