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Despite all the established progress of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is in addition to, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled 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, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women spoken to for the inquiry had in the past undergone traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading lies about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about official advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor 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 choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.