What to Expect When You're Self-Tracking: Lived Experiences of Expectant Individuals and Perspectives of Care Providers on Pregnancy Data Practices

Self-tracking of pregnancy-related data offers expectant individuals a variety of benefits, from monitoring health and identifying risks to emotional support and fostering a connection with the baby. Despite these benefits, the adoption of digital tracking tools remains limited, and the tools themselves do not always reflect the needs of individuals. To better understand self-tracking practices and experiences, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 expectant parents, 12 midwives, and three obstetricians. Thematic analysis revealed that self-tracking improves understanding of pregnancy, promotes emotional stability, and results in valuable pregnancy artifacts, but may also increase anxiety. Additionally, technology-driven tracking could be problematic, necessitating expert interpretation of data. Our findings suggest directions for the design of future pregnancy technologies that foster trust, reduce anxiety, and better support the emotional and physical needs of pregnant individuals.