Motherhood on ice? A media framing analysis of older mothers in the UK news

Rachel L. Shaw, David C. Giles

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Changing gender roles and increased sexual and economic freedom have created opportunities for women to give birth relatively late in life. However, stigma and misplaced fears about physical capacity are often reported as sources of anxiety among older, and in vitro fertilisation-induced mothers. In this study, we apply a specially adapted method for analysing news media content to a week's selection of material in the British media following the dissemination of research at an international medical conference. Our findings suggest, despite some positive commentaries, that much negative discourse is circulated by the media about older mothers, from implied claims of selfishness (older mothers as 'delaying' conception) to violations of the 'natural order'. These latter claims reflect the long-standing ambivalence by the media generally towards scientific advancement, but they also reveal continuing resistance towards unorthodox lifestyles.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)221-236
Number of pages16
JournalPsychology and Health
Volume24
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2009

Bibliographical note

This is an electronic version of an article published in Shaw, Rachel L. and Giles, David C. (2009). Motherhood on ice? A media framing analysis of older mothers in the UK news. Psychology and Health, 24 (2), pp. 221-236. Psychology and Health is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/08870440701601625

Keywords

  • motherhood
  • in vitro fertilisation
  • ageing
  • parenting
  • media
  • discourse

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