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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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 professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent 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. Many of the women spoken to for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more general 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 facade of an rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group 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 published online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for protections from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

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