“A heart-wrenching thing”: Analyzing newspaper narratives of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Current research shows that news stories on COVID-19 influence Americans’ opinions on most aspects of the pandemic. This study aims to better understand newspaper narratives of pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative textual analysis of newspaper articles in the New York Times uncovered common themes in coverage. Relevant themes are reexamining women’s reproductive rights, highlighting inequalities in the U.S. health care system and uncertainty/fear among pregnant women and women’s health professionals. Theoretical contributions are discussed.