iPhone Pregnancies: Self-Testing as Surveillance and Care in the Trying to Conceive Community

People trying to conceive (TTC) often rely on accessible technologies and associated apps to track aspects of menstrual cycles. We explore this growing phenomenon from the perspective of self-testing as surveillance-care for the TTC individual or couple and their current and future fertility and pregnancy. Through an analysis of anonymous fora posts, we argue that surveillance-care provides those TTC with a sense of community, as well as agency and control over inexact bodily processes. Here, surveillance-care enacted on the self is about care for the hoped-for future pregnancy, and resulting baby, as opposed to one's own current health status.

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Publication Details

Journal
Medical Anthropology
Published
2025-03-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/01459740.2025.2487009
Primary Topic
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

iPhone Pregnancies: Self-Testing as Surveillance and Care in the Trying to Conceive Community

Adrienne E. Strong, Raj Patel
Medical Anthropology
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
article

iPhone Pregnancies: Self-Testing as Surveillance and Care in the Trying to Conceive Community

Adrienne E. Strong, Raj Patel
article en

Abstract

People trying to conceive (TTC) often rely on accessible technologies and associated apps to track aspects of menstrual cycles. We explore this growing phenomenon from the perspective of self-testing as surveillance-care for the TTC individual or couple and their current and future fertility and pregnancy. Through an analysis of anonymous fora posts, we argue that surveillance-care provides those TTC with a sense of community, as well as agency and control over inexact bodily processes. Here, surveillance-care enacted on the self is about care for the hoped-for future pregnancy, and resulting baby, as opposed to one's own current health status.

Medical AnthropologyVol. 44(3)
University of Florida (US)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 92%
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
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