🔗 Share this article

In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can be beneficial.

The Rise of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury connected to mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a expert of midwifery.

Understanding the Dangers and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting experience, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a alarming recent report found two-thirds of maternity units to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. Many of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously undergone distressing births.

Distrust and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust 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 involved in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more widespread traction. One paper given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise that trains 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 Safeguards and Reforms

There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Vast quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services are urgently needed. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of data to support women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.