🔗 Share this article

In spite of all the established advances of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Influencers

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into one such organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its influence is global.

“For 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 professor of midwifery.

Examining the Dangers and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is permitted in nations including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and high-quality care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent 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 valid. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past experienced traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of established systems may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating falsehoods about vaccines and feeding suspicion about official advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more widespread traction. One paper given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an operation 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 Need for Safeguards and Improvements

There is no going back to a time when doctors were assumed to know best. Huge 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 well known that the algorithms used by tech companies reward more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They must include the choice of home birth and the provision of clear information to empower women in making decisions. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop plans for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.