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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” remedies and approaches. A number 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 problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Health Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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 expert of midwifery.

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had in the past experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are gaining more general purchase. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment community lies an operation that trains 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 assumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.