31/10/2025
It sometimes feels like there's a new childbirth-related news headline every week.
And no matter whether it's on the web, in the papers or on TV, it’s highly likely that it will be scary and focused on risk.
It may instill fear and undermine women’s confidence in their own bodies and babies.
Here are a few things that you should bear in mind when reading these headlines and the associated stories.
1. Both the originator of the research and the people who turn it into a story want to get the headline and the story to spread as far and wide as possible. Their job isn't to help you make an informed decision about what is right for you.
2. The goal of getting maximum publicity for a research finding or story is sometimes achieved by taking a sensationalist stance. Sometimes, key facts are glossed over, shared in a misleading way or left out completely.
3. Risk and fear sell news very quickly. There are many, many studies showing that birth is safe and that women's bodies are marvellously good at growing, birthing and feeding babies. But these don't make exciting headlines, and they don't make nearly as many people read, click and share, so they are often ignored.
4. There is almost never any discussion of the bigger picture or the wider context, either of the study or situation itself or of other work that has been done on the same topic. We need more information than can be found in the headlines.
5. In reality, research and report findings are never certain. All studies have limitations. Sadly, the complexity and the uncertainty gets compromised in favour of those risk-filled headlines which make you want to click, read and share.
Stay calm. Remember that the job of the media is to sell headlines, not to help people making pregnancy and birth decisions.
Breathe.
Get informed.
And then make the decision that's right for you.
If you'd like to see more of my work on this topic, you can find me at https://www.sarawickham.com/wrfm
