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Despite all the proven progress of contemporary medicine, certain people are drawn to non-traditional or “natural” cures and approaches. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist noted recently, people receiving cancer treatment will often try meditation or vitamins as well. When such a change is alongside, and not in place of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is typically not a problem. If it reduces distress, it can help.

The Proliferation of Online Wellness Figures

But the proliferation of online health influencers presents problems that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into one such business offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm connected to 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 associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” as stated by a professor of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Background

Giving birth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is permitted in countries including the UK and US. The risks are poorly documented due to a lack of data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a alarming recently published report found two-thirds of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.

Criticisms of medical systems and particular, 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 traumatic births.

Skepticism and the Spread of Misinformation

But while distrust of institutions may be based on experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers seeking converts to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and fuelling paranoia about official advice.

Worry is rising that such ideas are gaining more widespread traction. One presentation 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 rebellious sisterhood lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as in addition to birth attendants. The group 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 made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for protections from dangerous 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 option of home birth and the provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Policymakers and bodies including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the information ecosystem so that evidence-based healthcare is not undermined.