Deadlines and Due Dates: The Impact of Pregnancy and Motherhood on Journalists From the 1950s to the 2020s

Abstract

This study investigates how pregnancy and motherhood affect women journalists of the past and present. A mixed method approach of oral histories and qualitative interviews highlights how pregnancy and motherhood have affected women journalists over time, from 1950 to 2023. This article argues that because the U.S. newsroom was not conceptualized and built with women in mind, pregnant and new mother-journalists have faced historic and unique challenges. Findings from this mixed method approach present three major themes: the stigma of the pregnant journalist, the challenges of maternity leave policies, and the obstacles to lactation and breastfeeding as a working journalist.