A mixed-methods study exploring women's perceptions and recommendations for a pregnancy app with monitoring tools

Natasa Lazarevic; Carol Pizzuti; Gillian Rosic; Céline Bœhm; Kathryn Williams; Corinne Caillaud

doi:10.1038/s41746-023-00792-0

A mixed-methods study exploring women's perceptions and recommendations for a pregnancy app with monitoring tools

NPJ Digit Med. 2023 Mar 24;6(1):50. doi: 10.1038/s41746-023-00792-0.

Authors

Natasa Lazarevic^{1

2}, Carol Pizzuti^{3

4}, Gillian Rosic^{4

5}, Céline Bœhm⁶, Kathryn Williams^{4

5}, Corinne Caillaud^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. natasa.lazarevic@sydney.edu.au.
² Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. natasa.lazarevic@sydney.edu.au.
³ Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Nepean Blue Mountains Family Metabolic Health Service, Department of Endocrinology, Nepean Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁶ School of Physics, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁷ Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. corinne.caillaud@sydney.edu.au.
⁸ Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. corinne.caillaud@sydney.edu.au.

Abstract

Digital health tools such as apps are being increasingly used by women to access pregnancy-related information. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigated: (i) pregnant women's current usage of digital health tools to self-monitor and (ii) their interest in theoretical pregnancy app features (a direct patient-to-healthcare-professional communication tool and a body measurement tool). Using a mixed methods approach, 108 pregnant women were surveyed and 15 currently or recently pregnant women were interviewed online. We found that pregnant women used digital health tools to mainly access pregnancy related information and less so to self-monitor. Most participants were interested and enthusiastic about a patient-to-healthcare-professional communication tool. About half of the survey participants (49%) felt comfortable using a body measurement tool to monitor their body parts and 80% of interview participants were interested in using the body measurement to track leg/ankle swelling. Participants also shared additional pregnancy app features that they thought would be beneficial such as a "Digital Wallet" and a desire for a holistic pregnancy app that allowed for more continuous and personalised care. This study highlights the gaps and needs of pregnant women and should inform all stakeholders designing pregnancy digital healthcare. This study offers a unique insight into the needs of pregnant women during a very particular and unique period in human history.