🔗 Share this article

In spite of all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” remedies and approaches. Many of these do no harm. As a cancer specialist observed in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and regulators in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into one such organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed numerous cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach 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.

Examining the Dangers and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent 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 valid. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had in the past undergone distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also become a breeding ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Worry is growing that such ideas are acquiring more general purchase. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the image 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 Safeguards 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 published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from poor advice. It is widely understood that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They should 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 create plans for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.