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Despite all the proven progress of modern medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” remedies and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Health Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into one such business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“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.

Examining the Risks and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women interviewed for the inquiry had previously undergone traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation 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 looking for converts to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Concern is rising 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 community lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.