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In spite of all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” cures and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“For 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

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 daunting prospect, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found a large majority of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had previously experienced traumatic births.

Distrust and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while distrust of institutions may be based on experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are acquiring more widespread 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 facade 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 Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial 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 promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.