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Despite all the established advances of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is associated with 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, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many 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 established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about official advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are acquiring 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 sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement 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 published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.