🔗 Share this article

In spite of all the established advances of modern medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is in addition to, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses problems that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation 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 company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“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.

Understanding the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and specific, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unconventional methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Concern is growing that such ideas are acquiring more widespread traction. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an rebellious community lies an operation that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim to be a certified medical provider.

The Need for Protections and Improvements

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 positive effect. But there is also a need for protections from dangerous advice. It is well known that the automated systems used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to childbirth care are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.