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Despite all the established advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many 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 alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise of Online Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such organization providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury 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 skilled support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are poorly documented due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Concerns of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had previously experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while distrust of institutions may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and feeding paranoia about government advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are gaining more general purchase. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an rebellious community lies an enterprise that coaches 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 assumed 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 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 are urgently needed. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of data to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.