A content analysis of newspaper coverage of maternal mortality from 2010-2019

Pregnancy-related death, the death of a woman during or within one year after pregnancy, is between three and four times more likely to occur in Black women than White women. To better understand communication about this public health crisis, we examined features of news coverage on maternal mortality in 155 newspaper articles. Very few articles included a clear definition of the problem, and only about a third mentioned that these deaths are largely preventable. Additionally, 61% referenced the racial disparity, but within those, most did not discuss substantive causes of inequities. In terms of message features, about one third of articles used a patient narrative, with less than 10% referencing a celebrity's patient experience. Very few (5%) articles included information about the history of mistreatment of Black patients in American health care. Together, the findings suggest current newspaper coverage does not effectively address social determinants of maternal health outcomes.