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In spite of all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “holistic” remedies and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into one such business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled 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 countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and high-quality 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.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously experienced distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are gaining more widespread traction. One paper 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 rebellious community lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group 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 assumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.