Despite all the proven advances of contemporary medicine, some people are attracted to non-traditional or “natural” remedies and approaches. A number of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist noted recently, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, evidence-based treatment, this is typically not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.
But the proliferation of online health influencers presents challenges that governments and regulators in many countries have not fully understood. An investigation into a particular organization providing membership and advice to expectant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term fetal deaths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the company is headquartered in North Carolina, its reach is global.
“Across whole populations, going through labour and birth without skilled support is associated with higher levels of risk for mother and baby,” according to a professor of midwifery.
Childbirth 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 data. Childbirth can be a daunting prospect, and excellent care is far from guaranteed. In England, a shocking recently published report found a large majority of hospital maternity services to be unsafe or in need of improvement.
Criticisms of medical systems and specific, persistent issues with maternity care are in many cases valid. A significant number of the women interviewed for the investigation had previously undergone distressing births.
But while mistrust of institutions may be based on experience, it has also proved to be a breeding ground for other influencers seeking followers to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was involved in disseminating lies about vaccines and feeding suspicion about government advice.
Worry is rising that such ideas are acquiring more general purchase. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “acutely worsened 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 claim to be a qualified medical provider.
There is no turning the clock back to a time when doctors were presumed to know best. Huge quantities of scientific research are made available online and many people use these to positive effect. But there is also a need for safeguards from dangerous advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.
In the UK, necessary reforms to childbirth care are urgently needed. They should include the option of home birth and the availability of data to support women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.
Elara is a seasoned gaming journalist with a passion for slot mechanics and player strategies.
