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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness 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 offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“Across 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.

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Childbirth 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 data. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns 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 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 looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas are acquiring more general purchase. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an rebellious sisterhood lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards 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 published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need 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 childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of data to support women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.