Pregnancy Influencers: The Public Needs Protecting from Bad Advice.

In spite of all the proven progress of modern medicine, certain people are attracted to non-traditional or “holistic” cures and approaches. Many of these are not dangerous. As a cancer specialist observed recently, people receiving cancer treatment will frequently try meditation or vitamins too. When such a change is alongside, and not instead of, scientifically-backed treatment, this is usually not a concern. If it lessens distress, it can be beneficial.

The Proliferation of Digital Wellness Influencers

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 business providing membership and advice to pregnant mothers has revealed dozens cases of late-term stillbirths or other serious harm involving mothers or birth attendants linked with it. While the entity is based 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,” as stated by a expert of midwifery.

Examining the Risks and Context

Childbirth without medical assistance, sometimes called free birth, is legal in nations including the UK and US. The risks are not well understood due to a absence of data. Childbirth can be a frightening prospect, and high-quality 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 justified. A significant number of the women spoken to for the inquiry had previously experienced distressing births.

Distrust and the Proliferation of Falsehoods

But while mistrust of institutions may be rooted in experience, it has also become a fertile ground for other influencers looking for followers to their unconventional methods and DIY ethos. During the pandemic, a “wellness” industry supposedly focused on healthy living was implicated in spreading falsehoods about vaccines and feeding paranoia about official advice.

Worry is growing that such beliefs are gaining more general traction. One presentation given at a cancer conference focused on misinformation, which it said had “significantly deteriorated in the past decade”. This investigation shows that behind the facade of an anti-establishment community lies an enterprise 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 Protections and Improvements

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 beneficial effect. But there is also a need for protections from dangerous advice. It is well known that the algorithms used by tech companies promote increasingly sensational content.

In the UK, improvements to maternity services cannot come soon enough. They must include the option of home birth and the availability of clear information to support women in making decisions. Policymakers and organizations including the World Health Organization should also develop strategies for the online information landscape so that evidence-based healthcare is not compromised.