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Despite all the proven advances of modern medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and approaches. A number of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Health Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach is international.

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

Examining the Risks 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 data. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent 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 justified. Many of the women spoken to for the investigation had previously experienced distressing births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Concern is rising that such ideas are acquiring more widespread traction. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image of an rebellious sisterhood lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Reforms

There is no going 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 beneficial effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.