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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to alternative or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted recently, 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 typically not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a expert of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality 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 inquiry had in the past experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more widespread traction. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Requirement 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 positive effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.