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In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is in addition to, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Online Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into one such organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed numerous cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company 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,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms 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 investigation had in the past undergone traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while distrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about official advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are acquiring more widespread purchase. One presentation 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 community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Protections 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 published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.