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In spite of all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.

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

Examining the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and excellent 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.

Concerns of medical systems and specific, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women spoken to for the inquiry had in the past undergone traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more widespread purchase. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry 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 group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies promote more extreme 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. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.