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Despite all the proven advances of modern medicine, certain people are attracted to alternative or “natural” remedies and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously undergone traumatic births.

Distrust and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be 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 disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about government advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. One presentation given at a medical symposium 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 enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Reforms

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known 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 availability of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.