Stop Using the Term “Geriatric Pregnancy”: Fighting Pregnancy Stigma

< p >The average age of mothers giving birth reached 31.2 years in 2025, up from 29.6 years in 2005, according to a report published by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee). While this shift highlights a broader demographic trend toward later motherhood, it has also brought renewed scrutiny to the medical terminology used to describe pregnancies in older women, with advocates launching a petition to ban terms such as “geriatric pregnancy.”

The Push to Eliminate Outdated Language in Maternal Health

Medical terminology surrounding older motherhood has long faced criticism from researchers examining the intersection of language and public health. Writing in the academic journal Feminist Media Studies, Mélodie Cardin, a communication studies researcher at Carleton University in Canada, argued that the classification of advanced maternal age is a social construction rather than a purely neutral medical fact. Cardin noted that the threshold of 35 years old is chosen arbitrarily, which can reinforce the social stigmatization of older mothers and their bodies.

Proponents of the language shift emphasize that abandoning outdated labels does not mean ignoring real medical considerations. According to health data referenced by advocates, pregnancies after 35 can involve elevated statistical risks for certain conditions, including chromosomal abnormalities, pre-eclampsia, and gestational hypertension. However, the petition’s organizers assert that clinical communication can remain accurate without relying on demeaning vocabulary.

The campaign’s demands extend beyond simple vocabulary changes. The initiative urges healthcare institutions, media outlets, and commercial brands to adopt neutral, fact-based terminology. It also calls for targeted training for medical professionals to ensure that discussions around maternal age support patient well-being without inducing psychological distress.