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In spite of all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and practices. A number of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is in addition to, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into a particular business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence 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 professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past experienced traumatic births.

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

Worry is growing that such ideas are acquiring more general traction. 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 image of an rebellious sisterhood lies an operation 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 turning the clock back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge 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 algorithms used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.