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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “natural” cures and practices. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness 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 dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“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 Dangers and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is not 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 particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past experienced traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are acquiring more general traction. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry 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 organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of data to support women in making decisions. Ministers 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.