Paper Info
Title
Symbolic Annihilation Through Design: Pregnancy Loss In Pregnancy-Related Mobile Apps
Abstract
Pregnancy is a significant life event for many. Using mobile apps to manage pregnancies is common. Pregnancy loss is a common complication associated with stigma that impacts one's wellbeing, relationships, sense of self, and more. While pregnancy loss is important to many experiencing it, it is unclear to what extent pregnancy-related mobile apps account for it and consider associated users' needs in their designs. We conducted a feature analysis of 166 pregnancy-related apps. We found that their main features focus on information, tracking, reminders, and social contact, and that 72% of these apps do not account for loss, 18% explicitly account for it, and 10% passively do so. We theorize this lack of consideration as symbolic annihilation through design. We argue that such annihilation is partly shaped by intensified mothering ideologies, further stigmatizes pregnancy loss, and perpetuates a normative, linear portrait of the pregnancy experience which is harmful and marginalizing.
Year
DOI
Venue
2021
10.1177/1461444820984473
NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Feminist, intensified mothering, miscarriage, mobile apps, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, symbolic annihilation, symbolic annihilation through design, stigma
Journal
23
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
3
1461-4448
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
1
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Nazanin Andalibi112516.28