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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “natural” remedies and approaches. A number 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 change is in addition to, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Digital Health Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm connected to 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 linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds 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. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past experienced traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of institutions may be based on 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 “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more general purchase. 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 facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Improvements

There is no turning the clock 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 protections from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.