Web-based news reports on midwives compared with obstetricians: a prospective analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Journalism
• Health Professions Communication
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Media portrayal influences public perception of health professions.
• Understanding media representation is crucial for health professional advocacy.
• This study analyzes global web news coverage of midwives and obstetricians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and compare media representation of midwives and obstetricians.
• To identify dominant themes in news reports concerning these professions.
• To assess the global perception of midwifery and obstetrics in web-based news.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Google News alerts for "midwife," "midwives," "midwifery," "obstetrics," and "obstetricians."
• Collected and analyzed web-based news reports over a 12-month period (May 2006-April 2007).
• Employed quantitative content analysis to categorize news report themes.

Main Results:

• 1,086 reports analyzed: 522 on midwifery, 564 on obstetrics.
• Midwives often depicted as "Cinderella of maternity care," facing funding/legislative barriers.
• Obstetricians frequently portrayed as "experts" and "heroes," with greater public recognition.

Conclusions:

• Obstetricians enjoy both acceptance and recognition in media, unlike midwives.
• Midwifery is gaining acceptance but struggles with recognition and systemic barriers.
• News report focus varies by country, highlighting workforce issues (UK) and funding/legislation (US).