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Positively Pregnant app

An app for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, who want some tools for managing stress and maintaining wellbeing during pregnancy and in the transition to parenthood.

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Positively Pregnant app	By WaikatoLink
	Features Education and information (about mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy). Goal setting. Diary - journaling. Tracking - pregnancy calculator or counter. Data syncing. Reminders. Psychological assessment tools, guided audio recordings, large knowledge resource.
Country of origin	New Zealand
Clinical review	Read a clinical review below.
Security and privacy	Does the app: Collect medical information? Yes, data anonymously backed up on their servers except photos Require a login? Yes Have password protection? Yes Have a privacy policy? Yes Require internet access to use? No - only for initial login and syncing only for initial login and syncing Read more about safety and security when using apps. Brochures: Tips to improve your privacy and security [PDF, 65 KB] Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ
Cost	Free
How to get the app	(external link) (external link)

The Positively Pregnant app is created by the University of Waikato, to provide mums-to-be with information on the emotional and social changes of pregnancy. It includes activities and principles from positive psychology, as well as information and activities based on research in New Zealand and overseas about coping with stress, healthy development, and the typical challenges of pregnancy and early parenting. The app comprises 4 main sections:

Know yourself: comprises knowing your strengths, strategies, stressors, emotions, village, style and health. The information provided in this section helps customise the app to the users needs.
Do something: is made up of various activities such as audio activities, gratitude, notes to self, notes to baby, creativity, play a game and have a laugh.
Conversations: has activities that are ways of starting conversations with yourself or your partner on aspects of birthing and parenting.
Find out: brief information on about 30 topics such as being well and wellbeing, being pregnant, tips to manage stress and links to online resources.

For the complete app description, go to Apple Store(external link), Google Play(external link) or see reviews below.

PROS	CONS
✔ Developed by a team from the University of Waikato’s School of Psychology. ✔ Uses evidence-based techniques to help with mental health issues before, during and after pregnancy based on research on positive psychology. ✔ The app is customised based on the data that the user inputs in the profile and in the “Know Yourself” section allowing personalised recommendations to support wellbeing based on strengths, self-help strategies, stressors, supports, and locus of control. It includes information about the partner. ✔ Various activities in the “Do Something” section including guided audio recordings, gratitude diary, links to funny baby videos, creating a habit, strength reminders, and journaling. ✔ The “Find Out” section contains a great number of messages for the soon to be mum on a wide range of topics including wellbeing, the old and the new, changing relationships, being pregnant, stress and distress, and online resources. ✔ The “Conversations” section contains tools and information to help with starting a conversation about birthing and parenting. Topics include divvying up household tasks, traditions, birth plans, baby’s first year, daydreams, money, values, and follow up.	✘ Nil.

PROS

CONS

✔ Developed by a team from the University of Waikato’s School of Psychology.

✔ Uses evidence-based techniques to help with mental health issues before, during and after pregnancy based on research on positive psychology.

✔ The app is customised based on the data that the user inputs in the profile and in the “Know Yourself” section allowing personalised recommendations to support wellbeing based on strengths, self-help strategies, stressors, supports, and locus of control. It includes information about the partner.

✔ Various activities in the “Do Something” section including guided audio recordings, gratitude diary, links to funny baby videos, creating a habit, strength reminders, and journaling.

✔ The “Find Out” section contains a great number of messages for the soon to be mum on a wide range of topics including wellbeing, the old and the new, changing relationships, being pregnant, stress and distress, and online resources.

✔ The “Conversations” section contains tools and information to help with starting a conversation about birthing and parenting. Topics include divvying up household tasks, traditions, birth plans, baby’s first year, daydreams, money, values, and follow up.

✘ Nil.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Jeremy Steinberg, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: June 2021
Platform: Android
Version: 2.0.6
Comments: This app was developed by a university team to help women before, during and after pregnancy with their wellbeing and relationships. It is filled to the brim with content which was developed over three years.
There are various psychological questionnaires which are used to give targeted advice, as well as guided audio activities and other helpful tools for things such as planning. There is also copious helpful information written in a conversational, easy to read style.
My main complaints with the old version have been rectified – the app is now much more polished, and data can be synced to the cloud. Overall, I think this would be an incredibly beneficial app for many women and is a “must have” app for the target audience.
New Zealand relevance: Highly relevant - designed for New Zealand women.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Jeremy Steinberg, GP, FRNZCGP
Date of review: January 2019
Platform: Android
Version: 1.1.1
Comments: This app was developed by a university team to help women before, during and after pregnancy with their mental health. It is filled to the brim with content which was developed over three years.
There are various psychological questionnaires which is used to give targeted advice, as well as guided audio activities and other helpful tools for things such as planning. There is also copious helpful information written in a conversational, easy to read style.
I found the design and interface unpolished and not very intuitive which lets the app down. It would hugely benefit from improvements in this area.
Overall, I think this would be a very beneficial app for many women.
New Zealand relevance: Highly relevant - designed for New Zealand women.

Pregnancy, baby care and parenting apps
New Zealand-based apps
NZ Health App Library
Consumer guide: how to choose a health app
Clinicians guide: how to choose a health app

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.

Factsheets – using health apps safely

How to choose a health app
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

Privacy and security tips for using health apps
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ

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Positively Pregnant app