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Despite all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is in addition to, 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 poses problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into one such business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women spoken to for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more widespread traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no turning the clock 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 dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Policymakers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.