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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” remedies and practices. A number of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous 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 global.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called 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 daunting prospect, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published 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. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading lies about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are gaining more widespread 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 rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards 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 positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor 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 must include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.