Medical care during pregnancy focuses mainly on the health of the foetus and neglects the broader wellbeing of the mother-to-be.
The aim of this first year on the Healthy Pregnancy project was to give an overview and understanding of pregnancy from the woman’s point of view and identify design opportunities. A study was conducted with 14 women using empathic research methods. This led to the development of 6 profiles of pregnant women and into an Insight Bank summarizing the research.
This two-year project commissioned by Clearblue was carried out at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design in London.
During pregnancy, women can experience huge disruptions to their lives that are not only physical and medical, but also social and emotional. Although pregnancy is a complex condition, the care that pregnant women currently receive is usually focused on the physical health of the foetus and mother-to-be and takes little account of her broader wellbeing.
Clearblue, maker of home pregnancy test kits, currently interacts with women for one minute. This project looks at how Clearblue could extend that relationship by investigating how expectant mothers can be supported in a more holistic way throughout their pregnancy.
Three different research methods were used with 14 women to capture their daily life, concerns and emotions during pregnancy:
-The women who were currently pregnant were asked to fill in a one-week pregnancy diary to map their daily moods and concerns.
-The women who had given birth in the past two years participated in a two-hour session where they were asked to map their emotional experience over the nine months and focus on the important moments of the pregnancy.
-The women who were pregnant a long time ago were asked to fill in the lines of a drawing of a pregnant woman by writing about their personal experiences. Only the most memorable experiences – good or bad – were captured.
More on the project on the Helen Hamlyn Centre For Design website.