Fat Beehive and Tommy's created a digital tool that not only helps women plan for pregnancy but also makes sense of the many factors that may affect their chances of having a safe and healthy pregnancy.
According to a survey carried out by leading baby charity Tommy’s, 67% of women plan for three or more months for a holiday, while just 20% plan for three or more months for a pregnancy. It’s this startling fact and other research into women’s health and pregnancy that led Tommy’s to approach Fat Beehive. Together we created a digital tool that not only helps women plan for pregnancy but also makes sense of the many factors that may affect their chances of having a safe and healthy pregnancy.
In fact, there are over a dozen distinct factors, ranging from whether they smoke and drink; they take folic acid; have an existing physical condition or suffer from mental health issues. The considerations are complex and potentially daunting.
Tommy’s was producing a wealth of new content for their website but needed a tool that would engage women and get their message across more effectively. Fat Beehive proposed a mobile-first, quiz-based mechanic inspired by popular fitness tracking apps that assesses a woman’s preparedness for pregnancy and offers tailored advice. Twenty questions, mostly multiple choice, are presented one at a time; they are designed to be easily answered, on the go and in minutes.
“The algorithm Fat Beehive devised was approved by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists”
However, the ease and simplicity of the interface masks some truly complex mathematics under the bonnet that scores each answer, considers their conditions and dependencies, and weights their impact on a woman’s pregnancy. The algorithm Fat Beehive devised was stress tested and approved by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Public Health England and the UCL Institute for Women’s Health, who all stand behind each result.
Importantly, the results are broken down into each of the factors with advice on how to improve them. The advice is personalised and relevant for each woman, depending on their answers and includes links to further reading, as well as the option to sign up for ongoing regular advice via email.
