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Despite all the established advances of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these do no harm. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Health Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into a particular organization offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Dangers and Background

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries 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 maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

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

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

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

Worry is growing 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 image of an anti-establishment community lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization 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 presumed to know best. Vast 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 promote more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in making decisions. Policymakers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.