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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, 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 proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity 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,” according to a expert 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 poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved 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 cancer conference 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 enterprise that coaches 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 Protections and Improvements

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to support 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 undermined.