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Despite all the established advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist observed in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Dangers and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Concern 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 anti-establishment community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Improvements

There is no going 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 critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of data to support women in choosing their care. Policymakers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.