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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents problems that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into a particular organization providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants associated 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 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 nations including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found a large majority of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas 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 image of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization 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 presumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational 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 clear information to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.