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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist observed in the past year, 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 problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach is global.

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

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting 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 particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past undergone traumatic 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 fertile ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas are gaining more general traction. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened 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 in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement for Safeguards and Reforms

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 positive effect. But there is also a need 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 cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.