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Despite all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist observed in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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.

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and high-quality care is not 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 specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past experienced traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be based on 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 “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.

Worry is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. 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 community lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor advice. It is widely understood 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 provision of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.