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In spite of all the proven advances of modern medicine, certain people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed numerous cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company 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,” according to a expert of midwifery.

Examining the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal 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 far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found a large majority of maternity units 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 spoken to for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. 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 operation that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no going 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 beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.