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In spite of all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” remedies and practices. Many of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted 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 lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Online Wellness Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“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 expert of midwifery.

Examining the Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted 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 frightening experience, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming 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 justified. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past undergone traumatic births.

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

Worry is rising that such beliefs 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”. This investigation shows that behind the image 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 Protections and Reforms

There is no going 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 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, necessary reforms to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.