🔗 Share this article

In spite of all the established progress of modern medicine, certain people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a problem. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Health Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into one such business offering membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm connected to mothers or birth attendants associated with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is international.

“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without professional support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a expert of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in countries including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality 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. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously experienced distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about official advice.

Concern is growing that such beliefs are acquiring more general traction. One paper 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 anti-establishment sisterhood lies an enterprise that coaches women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Requirement for Protections and Improvements

There is no going 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 positive effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections from dangerous advice. It is widely understood that the automated systems used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They should include the option of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies such as the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.