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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

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

Examining the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking 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. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Worry is growing that such ideas are gaining more widespread 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 rebellious community lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in making decisions. Policymakers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.