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Despite all the established advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” remedies and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is in addition to, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into one such business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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 expert of midwifery.

Understanding the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously experienced distressing births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while distrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas are gaining more widespread purchase. 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 facade of an anti-establishment community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no going 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 positive effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.