A GUIDE TO HEALTHY PREGNANCY MANAGING AILMENTS AND FINDING SOLUTIONS

A_Guide_to_Healthy_Pregnancy

PREGNANCY REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA: MYTHSANDREALITIES

Ebru Aygüler

İstanbul Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, İstanbul, Türkiye

Aygüler E. Pregnancy Representation in the Media: Myths and Realities. Çetin A ed. A Guide to Healthy Pregnancy: Managing Ailments and Finding Solutions. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2025. p.207-217.

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is a physiological process, yet it also has considerable psychological and sociocultural effects on the expectant mother and those in her social circle. In addition to the physical changes that occur during pregnancy, there are also profound transformations in a woman’s personal relationships, responsibilities, and life roles. Furthermore, the acceptance of the changes associated with pregnancy is regarded as a crucial aspect of the process of adapting to motherhood. From this perspective, it is to be expected that women will seek further information concerning the roles they are to assume and their unborn babies. It is also unsurprising that media usage is highly prevalent during this process. The advent of new technologies has precipitated a shift in media consumption patterns, with traditional platforms such as television, radio, newspapers, and magazines being supplanted by digital alternatives, including social media, websites, and mobile applications. In the contemporary era, the function of the media extends beyond the mere conveyance of information. It has become a prominent factor influencing the lifestyles, decisions, and behaviours of individuals. Pregnancy is a profoundly personal experience that has a significant impact on a woman’s life. However, it is frequently depicted in a simplified or distorted manner in the media. From film and television to social media, narratives about pregnancy frequently diverge from reality. When expectations diverge from lived experiences, feelings of inadequacy and failure can have a detrimental impact on women’s mental health. Pregnancy is often presented in a manner that is incongruent with reality on social media, with the experience depicted as flawless and trouble-free. Such portrayals can engender feelings of inadequacy in pregnant women who are experiencing fatigue, exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, or complications of pregnancy. There is a particularly widespread dissemination of misinformation about pregnancy on social media. In a study conducted in Turkey, all pregnant participants reported using social media, and 80% stated that the information they obtained from social media influenced their decisions. However, it is concerning that 33% of these participants admitted to always believing the information they encountered without questioning it. In the current era, characterised by the ready availability of information, it appears that the most pressing concern is the proliferation of misinformation. In the context of pregnancy, erroneous guidance can have irreversible consequences for both the mother and the foetus. The dissemination of information to enhance media literacy and the utilisation of digital channels by healthcare professionals for informational purposes can facilitate access to accurate data. The objective of this review is to elucidate the portrayal of pregnancy on social media, the impact of social media on pregnant individuals, and the rationale behind the utilisation of digital resources by pregnant individuals.

Keywords: Pregnancy; Social media; Delivery; Internet; Information seeking behaviour

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