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Despite all the established progress of modern medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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 Dangers and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously experienced distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread 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 converts to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are gaining more general traction. 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 rebellious community lies an enterprise 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 Improvements

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 widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to support women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.