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In spite of all the established advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is in addition to, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

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

Understanding the Dangers and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had in the past undergone distressing births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more general traction. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Improvements

There is no turning the clock 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 beneficial 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 childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They should include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower 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 compromised.