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Despite all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” cures and practices. Many of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.

“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 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 data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

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

Skepticism and the Spread of Falsehoods

But while distrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also become 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 involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are acquiring 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 operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The group does not present itself to be a certified 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 made available online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.