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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, certain people are attracted to alternative or “holistic” remedies and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed in the past year, people receiving 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 concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. A recent inquiry into a particular business providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other severe injury connected to 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 skilled support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a professor of midwifery.

Understanding the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

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

Skepticism and the Proliferation of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a breeding 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 implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more widespread traction. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image 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 Requirement for Safeguards and Reforms

There is no going 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 beneficial effect. But there is also a need for protections from poor advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They must include the choice of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.