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In spite of all the established progress of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

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

Examining the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found a large majority 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 spoken to for the investigation had in the past 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 breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Worry is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. The inquiry 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 organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement 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 protections from dangerous advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers 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.