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Despite all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “natural” remedies and practices. A number of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist observed in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Wellness Figures

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“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 absence of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published 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 justified. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously undergone traumatic births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more general traction. One paper given at a medical symposium 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 enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed 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 critical necessity for protections from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the choice of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.