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Despite all the proven progress of modern medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Digital Health Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into one such organization providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

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

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found two-thirds 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 justified. A significant number of the women interviewed for the inquiry had previously undergone distressing births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers seeking 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 feeding suspicion about official advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are gaining more general purchase. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an rebellious community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.