Abortion-Politics and Media in Mexico

Emily Vala-Haynes, Emory University
Roger W. Rochat, Emory University

A free press has risen in Mexico, increasing the legitimacy of print media as the largest source of objective information on abortion. Using a sample of 100 newspaper articles containing the word “abortion,” this study examines the context in which abortion is discussed, the types of arguments that are presented both in favor of and opposed to abortion, and which social actors are associated with those arguments and given media coverage in the debate. Results show political parties and Catholic Church representatives as the principal social actors, while the principal arguments for and against abortion were ideological, legal/political, public health and rights-based. The study highlights the range of issues surrounding abortion that are circulating in Mexican press, providing a reflection of the climate in which the abortion debate exists. Understanding the views that exist towards abortion can help us to target policy interventions aimed at increasing access to safe abortions.