🔗 Share this article

Despite all the proven progress of modern medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “natural” cures and practices. A number of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted in the past year, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a practice is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Influencers

But the explosion of online health influencers poses challenges that governments and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. A recent inquiry into a particular organization providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of third-trimester stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its influence is international.

“For whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is linked to higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor 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 potential dangers are not well understood due to a absence of reliable information. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and high-quality care is not guaranteed. In England, a shocking recent report found two-thirds 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. A significant number of the women spoken to for the investigation had previously undergone distressing births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while mistrust of institutions may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in disseminating lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about government advice.

Concern is rising that such beliefs are gaining more widespread traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment sisterhood lies an operation that coaches women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not present itself to be a qualified medical provider.

The Need for Safeguards and Reforms

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 beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for safeguards from poor advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote more extreme content.

In the UK, necessary reforms to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the provision of data to support women in choosing their care. Ministers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also create plans for the information ecosystem so that science-based healthcare is not compromised.