Women's Perspectives and Challenges in Adopting Perinatal Mental Health Technologies

Perinatal mental illness is a prevalent global concern impacting pregnant women and new mothers. Women frequently utilize technology for perinatal mental health (PMH) assistance, including smartphone applications, web-based platforms, social media, and online support groups. This study aims to understand mothers' perceived acceptability and effectiveness of mental health technologies and the challenges they face while adopting those technologies to navigate their PMH journey. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with mothers (n=15) who were either pregnant or in their postpartum. Additionally, we gathered data (1600 posts and corresponding 10,000 comments) from online perinatal support communities to explore the discussions concerning mothers' utilization of technology during the perinatal period. Our findings elucidate the diverse experiences of women around professional help, social support, anonymity, and misinformation when adopting and using perinatal technologies and how these experiences shape how they envision future PMH technologies and their aspects. Based on these findings, we recommend developing future evidence-based technologies that continuously support mothers throughout pregnancy and postpartum while advocating for existing technologies to prioritize transparency, empowering mothers to make informed decisions and enhance their digital literacy regarding PMH resources.