8 Outdated On-Screen Portrayals of Pregnancy

In partnership with moode

Pregnancy and motherhood have long been depicted in TV and film. But dare we say, directors and filmmakers don’t always get it right. From outdated stereotypes to modern pressures, we’ve teamed up with prenatal vitamin brand, moode, to dissect how the realities of motherhood are represented in film and what it means to be a pregnant person on-screen. 

Let’s revisit some of the more annoying – yet recurring – pregnancy tropes, in the hopes that we can finally say goodbye to them, for good. 

The Instant Birth 

Ignoring the fact that childbirth is one of the most challenging things a person can go through, this is often glazed over in its onscreen depictions. Birth scenes can be depicted as quick, painless, or nearly without medical intervention, ignoring the real pain, complexity, and diversity of birth experiences. An example of this is Phoebe Buffay in “Friends,” who somehow easily gives birth to triplets all without breaking a sweat or a hair falling out of place. 

The Perfect Pregnancy 

This portrayal shows pregnancy as an entirely positive and glamorous experience, with the mother always glowing and never experiencing discomfort or negative emotions. Daphne from “Bridgeton”’s pregnancy was this experience to a T – all the way up to the delivery where she was smiling and carrying on a normal conversation – all while giving birth. 

The Single Symptom

Pregnancy is different for every single person, and there’s no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. But in TV and films, there only ever seems to be one symptom of pregnancy – and that’s a sudden urge to vomit? And sure, while around half to two-thirds of all pregnant women will experience morning sickness, that’s still half to one-third that won’t, and a whole lot of other symptoms that deserve a bit of air time. 

The Giant Newborn

This one is less pregnancy, and more postpartum, but almost every baby born in film and TV is at least six months old when born. Think Padme’s twin babies Luke and Leia from “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” or Jake and Amy’s baby, Mac, in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Of course, child acting laws do come into play here, but it does set an expectation that babies will come out huge. And when you’re facing the prospect of pushing one out – that’s an image most people could really do without. 

The Creepy Pregnancy

Sometimes pregnancy is portrayed with a supernatural or sinister twist, where it becomes a plot device for horror or thrillers. This can contribute to harmful stereotypes and fears around pregnancy, turning a natural process into something terrifying. The OG pregnancy horror movie was “Rosemary’s Baby,” but newer movies like “Immaculate,” “Twilight,” and “The First Omen” give it a run for its money. 

The Happy Ending Pregnancy

Pregnancy can sometimes be depicted as ‘the only way to have a happy ending’. Female characters will fall pregnant simply to finish off a series or because seemingly, the writers have no idea how else to end it. In the final episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” Penny, despite expressly never wanting children, ends up happily accidentally pregnant. Totally out of character, and pretty unrealistic. 

The One-Dimensional Mother

Pregnancy is sometimes portrayed as the ultimate goal or defining characteristic of a woman’s life. This can reinforce the idea that a woman’s value is tied to her ability to become a mother, rather than recognising her as a multifaceted individual with her own goals and desires. This is never more true than in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” where pregnancy is the very purpose of life. While this is very much the central plot of the show, it still sends shivers down our spines!

The Painful Birth

Movies often depict birth as fast, intense, loud, and painful when in reality birth is an inward experience that is often calm and controlled. This portrayal of the process perpetuates the misconception that birth is inherently dangerous or something to be scared of, disempowering women and terrifying an entire generation of mothers to be. Agonising births can be seen all throughout the media however recent examples can be seen in HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” where horrific birth scenes are part and parcel of the drama.

While these portrayals can shape societal expectations and misunderstandings about pregnancy, there are also so many great, modern examples of accurate, nuanced, and diverse depictions across TV and film. As the new era of motherhood progresses, hopefully it’s something we’ll start to see in the media more and more.  

moode is a premium prenatal vitamin formulated for the new era of motherhood. To try it for yourself, visit wethemoode.com

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