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Despite all the established advances of modern medicine, certain people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“Across 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 Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal 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 excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found a large majority of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing 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 fertile ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are gaining more widespread purchase. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going 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 safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.