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In spite of all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital 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 providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“Across 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

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Skepticism 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 followers 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 feeding suspicion about government advice.

Worry is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge 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 poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They should include the choice of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.