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In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach 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 Dangers and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and high-quality 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. Many of the women spoken to for the investigation had previously experienced 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 breeding 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 disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are gaining more general traction. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise 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 Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.