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In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents problems that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

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

Examining the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found a large majority 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 traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

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

Worry is growing that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment community lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections 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 published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity 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 maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.