Despite all the established progress of contemporary medicine, some people are drawn to alternative or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many of these are not dangerous. As one cancer specialist observed in the past year, people undergoing cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a practice is in addition to, and not in place of, evidence-based treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.
The Proliferation of Digital Health Figures
But the proliferation of online health influencers poses problems that authorities and oversight bodies in many countries have yet to grasp. An investigation into a particular organization offering membership and advice to pregnant mothers has exposed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other severe injury involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based in North Carolina, its reach 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 Dangers and Background
Giving birth without medical assistance, known as free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The potential dangers are not well understood due to a lack of reliable information. Childbirth can be a frightening experience, and excellent 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.
Concerns of medical systems and particular, longstanding issues with maternity care are in many cases justified. Many of the women interviewed for the investigation had in the past experienced traumatic births.
Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods
But while mistrust of established systems may be rooted in experience, it has also proved to be a fertile ground for other influencers looking for converts to their unorthodox methods and DIY philosophy. During the pandemic, a “well-being” industry ostensibly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and fuelling suspicion about government advice.
Worry is growing that such ideas are acquiring more general purchase. One presentation given at a medical symposium focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. The inquiry shows that behind the image of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise that trains women as social media influencers as well as birth attendants. The organization does not claim 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. Vast quantities of scientific research are published online and many people use these to beneficial effect. But there is also a critical necessity for protections 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 provision of data to empower women in choosing their care. Ministers and organizations such as the World Health Organization should also create strategies for the online information landscape so that science-based healthcare is not undermined.
