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In spite of all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed numerous cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving 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 professional support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women interviewed for the inquiry had in the past undergone traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

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

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Improvements

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Vast 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 dangerous advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of data to support women in making decisions. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.