A year-long investigation has revealed alarming ties between the anti-vax Free Birth Society and tragic cases of preventable infant deaths. It also uncovers how these radical ideas — spread by a widely popular podcast — caused some mothers to lose their children.
Yet the Free Birth Society, with its online birthing community, is working hard to normalize birth without midwives—or doctors. Under the guise of so-called “free birth,” they lobby against maternal care. This approach, though tempting to some, can create real dangers to both moms and babies. The podcast associated with the society shares stories of such births, often romanticizing the experience while neglecting to address the potential dangers involved.
Lucy Hough has been leading the effort to tell the story of this investigation’s findings. Through her conversations with Lucy Osborne, she identified the devastating impact of this ideology. Throughout each of these conversations, Hough brought forth tons of fascinating cases. In every case, mothers were moved by the podcast’s stories and chose to birth outside of the medical industrial complex. Tragically, these decisions resulted in preventable losses.
Osborne’s investigation emphasizes that the podcast’s influence extends beyond mere storytelling. Instead, for some listeners, it’s become a source of radicalization, pushing them to reject well-established medical practices and recommendations. The resulting analysis reveals a frightening picture. Some communities are more frequently abandoning mainstream medicine and choosing alternative birthing practices.
In her interview with Osborne, Hough expressed her grave apprehension. She testified that if these dangerous concepts go unchecked, they can result in far more tragic results, as we have seen. These personal narratives help cast a light on uplifting experiences. These stories frequently cover up an ugly truth—that unassisted births can be very risky and dangerous.
The probe exposes troubling questions of responsibility, accountability within the Free Birth Society, other anti-abortion networks. Watch the Post’s investigation on free birth. And most importantly, more people are listening to these stories each and every day. As they drive, the need for public awareness and education like these becomes an urgent imperative.