It's not so much an 'equal parent' thing, in my opinion. Like I said above, I'm a father of three (I'm up feeding our 4 month old twins right now actually...),

It's not so much an 'equal parent' thing, in my opinion. Like I said above, I'm a father of three (I'm up feeding our 4 month old twins right now actually...), and we're absolutely 'equal' parents. My wife handles a larger share of the childcare duties, just like I handle a larger share of the landscaping... It's just the division of labor that works best for us. We're both very aware of, and quick to correct, attitudes that she's somehow more of 'parent' than I am (e.g. when she goes out in the evening, I am not "babysitting"...) So, I am very sensitive to your point, and I think it's an important one, but i don't think it's the primary motivator for the use of "mother" in the article. I suspect the reasons are (at least) twofold. The primary demographic served by this ER doc has a very high rate of single mothers. I'm not making commentary on that beyond the simple fact that it is the reality. My guess is most of the time she's talking to the mother because the mother _is_ the only parent present. When the father is there though, I studied he feels as I do... In that awful moment, I would want the doctor's attention on my wife. I would want as much support as possible for her in that time. I'll make do on my own for now... Like I said, that's likely misguided chivalry or a 'macho' attitude on my part, but it's my honest take on the situation, and I suspect I'm in the majority.