Maternal Perinatal Wellbeing and the Role of Digital Technologies
Ranjana Das (@DrRanjanaDas)
1. Funders
• British Academy (Perinatality + Digital Tech)
• Wellcome Trust (Migrant mothers + challenges in communicating PNMH issues)
2. Context/Scope
• Increasing hope around use of digital tech in health– not enough bottom-up evidence
• Austerity related cuts to PNMH services – many mothers seeking (online) peer support
• Specific challenges for migrant mothers, those on other side of digital divide
• What role can tech play in PNMH support?
4. Recommendations
3. Findings
Uneven contexts of access and use
• On-the-ground support networks are not always ‘supportive’
• Many turn to the online, but significant digital divide
• Migrant mothers seem to depend heavily on telephony/apps
• Key role of ‘intersectionality’ within easy groupings – e.g. not
all “migrant mothers” have similar struggles
The case for optimism
• Online peer-support key for ‘bridging’ gaps in NHS support ,
for intimate queries, and open sharing in anonymous areas
• Twitter #hashtag support spaces significant
• Camaraderie, understanding, solidarity v key for those
struggling
The case for caution
• Morally-heavy, intense discussions on ‘contentious’ perinatal
issues (infant feeding/childbirth) can create exclusive cliques
• Commercial companies stealing mothers/baby data through
tacit surveillance
• Online experiences can be uneven – and mothers’ digital
literacies, resilience and skills uneven too
• Placing too much responsibility on ‘peer support’
responsibilises struggling mothers as communities
Full list of publications: www.ranjanadas.com