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Despite all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Health Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a expert of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms 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 experienced traumatic 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 unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and feeding suspicion about government advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the image of an rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no going back to a time when doctors were presumed 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 safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.