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In spite of all the established advances of modern medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” remedies and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its influence is global.

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

Understanding the Risks and Background

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 reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from 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 justified. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously undergone traumatic births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are acquiring more general traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference 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 coaches women as social media influencers as well as 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 presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.