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Despite all the established advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and practices. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing 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 problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Rise 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 pregnant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is based in North Carolina, its influence is international.

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

Understanding the Dangers and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found a large majority of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

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

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking followers 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 feeding suspicion about government advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more widespread purchase. 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 rebellious sisterhood lies an operation 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 Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going 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 safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of data to support women in making decisions. Ministers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.