ROLE
UX Designer
UI Designer
User Researcher
TEAM
Wren Wang
Heba Jaleel
Rohitha Remala
Patrick Baca-Chandler
TIMELINE
15 Weeks
M.A.Y.
Mother and You
Listening When It’s Hard to Speak,
Supporting When It’s Hard to Ask.
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
HOW THE STORY BEGINS
PREGNANCY CAN BE
OVERWHELMING AND ISOLATING
We learned from first-time mothers that pregnancy, especially in the early stages, is often romanticized, but in reality, it’s full of challenges: unexpected morning sickness, emotional ups and downs, and the fear of feeling alone. These stories inspired us to take action and create a solution to provide emotional and practical support.
AIM
BUILDING A SPACE FOR
CONNECTION AND SUPPORT
M.A.Y. offers:
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A judgment-free anonymous chat community for open and honest conversations.
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Mood tracking to reduce isolation and help communicate better with healthcare providers.
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Personalized resources tailored to each user’s mood and symptoms to ensure meaningful support.
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M.A.Y. gently guides users through tough moments, reminding them that their feelings are valid. This is our way of giving back care and understanding to a process that is as challenging as it is beautiful.
PROBLEM
DISCOVERY
FIND THE GAP IN SUPPORT
RESEARCH FOUND THAT
MORNING SICKNESS CAN AFFECT
70% OF PREGNANT INDIVIDUALS
At the start of this project, we didn’t have a clear roadmap for addressing the unique challenges faced by pregnant individuals. To uncover these challenges, I partnered with my teammates to conduct desk research and map the pregnancy journey, identifying foundational pain points and gaining a deeper understanding of the experience.
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Key Findings:
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Morning sickness is the most prevalent and severe challenge, affecting 70% of pregnant individuals.
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It typically begins around week six of pregnancy and persists throughout the day.
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Persistent nausea and vomiting significantly disrupt daily routines and impact emotional well-being.
Mapping the physical and emotional journey of pregnancy to identify key pain points.
USER
RESEARCH
VOICES BEHIND THE DATA
USER INTERVIEWS REVEAL SEVERAL CHALLENGES
We conducted four in-depth interviews with pregnant individuals, each in a different trimester of their pregnancy, to better understand the unique challenges and experiences at each stage. Our goal was to gather personal stories that would help us identify meaningful opportunities for support.
“No healthcare providers or society, no one really talks about how truly bad the beginning can be."
Interviewee 4
EMOTIONAL ISOLATION
Pregnant individuals often feel emotionally isolated because society and healthcare providers tend to focus on the beauty of pregnancy, overlooking the physical and emotional struggles, especially during the first trimester.
“I started sharing less, especially after miscarriage, I don't share as much as i used to on social media and my personal sharing has reduced."
Interviewee 2
RELUCTANCE TO SHARE
Negative experiences, coupled with the physical and mental toll of pregnancy, lead to reduced sharing on social media and with friends.
“There is misinformation on what morning sickness means. It was not always in the morning; it was afternoon for me. I was physically exhausted all the time."
Interviewee 3
MISINFORMATION ON SYMPTOMS
Misconceptions about pregnancy symptoms, like morning sickness being limited to mornings, add to the challenges faced by pregnant individuals. This reflects a broader issue of incomplete information about pregnancy.
“Sometimes I forgot what I endured or how I felt by the time I visited a doctor for my check-up. It felt like I was starting over each time, which made it harder to get the care I needed."
Interviewee 2 & 4
DISCONNECTED HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE
Participants shared frustrations with moving between doctors and testing centers, often struggling to recall previous symptoms or experiences during periodic check-ups. This lack of continuity left them feeling unsupported.
IDENTIFIED GAPS
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
THE MISSING SUPPORT SYSTEM
Through our research, one thing became clear — pregnant individuals are navigating a journey filled with emotional, physical, and informational gaps, all stemming from a missing support system. From the emotional isolation of being unheard, to misconceptions about symptoms, to the fragmented experience of switching between healthcare providers, these challenges highlight the need for a solution that offers continuity, understanding, and support.
To address these gaps, we conducted a competitive analysis to explore how existing solutions approach the challenges of pregnancy and to uncover opportunities for innovation.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
OVERLOOKED EMOTIONAL NEEDS AND PERIOD-SPECIFIC SUPPORT CREATE GAPS IN EXISTING PREGNANCY APPS
We analyzed three popular pregnancy apps—BabyCenter, What to Expect, and Ovia Pregnancy Tracker—to understand their features, strengths, and limitations.
While these apps offer valuable features, they fall short in supporting emotional and social well-being:
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BabyCenter: Community forums are active but overwhelming, and the lack of personalized guidance limits their usefulness.
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What to Expect: Focuses heavily on content delivery but lacks privacy features, discouraging open and honest sharing.
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Ovia Pregnancy Tracker: Provides customizable tracking but prioritizes physical health, neglecting emotional and social needs
“I wish this app tailored its content better—some topics just don’t resonate with me, and I often feel overwhelmed by suggestions that seem irrelevant to my specific journey.”
- Apple Store Review
Existing apps primarily suggest content based on users' physical data, such as their trimester, while overlooking their mood and immediate, situational needs—failing to address the dynamic and period-specific nature of emotional support.
HOW
MIGHT
WE?
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Reduce emotional isolation by fostering connection and understanding?
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Provide personalized, accurate information to counter misinformation and build trust?
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Create a safe and supportive space that encourages open sharing without fear of judgment?
FINAL
DESIGN
