Fourth Trimester Health
Defining a sensor ecosystem that bridges the postpartum care gap.
53% of pregnancy-related deaths* occur during the postpartum period. This is how a full sensor stack, a digital twin, and a telehealth portal can address that.
Role(s)
Research Lead, Team Lead, Service Designer
30+ Cross-functional Crew
5 Cloud Engineers,
4 Environmental Engineers,
4 Wearable Engineers,
5 Software Engineers,
6 AI/ML Engineers,
10 HCI Specialists
Team
*”Four in 5 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable” CDC Study
99P Labs
Honda’s Research Lab Dedicated to Innovation
Client
Duration
4 Months
Jan 2025 – Apr 2025
Market Research, Desk Research, Competitive Analysis, In-Depth Interviews, Recruitment, Functional Requirements, Rapid Prototyping
Skills
A Peak at the Solution
Some Background about the Project
The Challenge
Brainstorming a Use Case
We had free rein to determine the focus of the product. During initial brainstorming sessions, a suggestion arose to focus on outpatient care. However, this was still a vast problem space.
With my passion for women’s health, I realized the potential of focusing on the postpartum period.
There was a clear care gap and a clear potential for a meaningful tech intervention.
A concerning drop off. Despite the postpartum period being a tumultous,
A need for health monitoring. 80%– this is the amount of pregnancy-related deaths that are preventable. A system that could actively detect and prevent serious health complications would be a game-changer.
Existing solutions are limited. Current wearables for health, such as the Apple Watch and Oura ring, are limited in scope and are not specifically calibrated for the postpartum period. They don’t collect critical biometrics like blood pressure, which are linked to many of the health complications that arise during this time.
What I Discovered
Presenting Our Vision to the Class
Building on the desk research I compiled, the HCI team and I created a pitch for why the postpartum period should be the project focus.
[2] Leverage AI/ML.
Specifically, the product needed to create a digital twin of the user using the data collected.
99P Labs, our client, tasked our team with creating a product, and they had clear parameters.
[1] Use Sensors.
Whatever we decided to build needed to include environmental and wearable sensors.
[3] Focus on Health.
The system should utilize this digital twin and collected data to improve the user's well-being.
We had some questions.
[Question 1] Is there a value proposition for our intended users?
Objective: At this point, I had not heard from mothers firsthand. My secondary research demonstrated the powerful implications of this system; however, what really mattered was whether or not Fourth Trimester Health resonated with its intended users, mothers.
Methodology: 5 in-depth interviews with mothers
[Insight 1]
“Because when I was pregnant, it was my health and the baby's health. But then, once the baby's out... it's just the baby itself and nothing about me, nothing about my health.”
- KY, 34-year-old mother of a 2-year-old
Current systems of care have left mothers feeling neglected, overwhelmed, and abandoned during the postpartum period.
[Question 2] What are mothers’ boundaries regarding data collection?
Objective: The core functionality of Fourth Trimester Health relied entirely on continuous and. The popularity of wearables like the Apple Watch and the Oura ring sets a strong precedent for user trust and comfort with continuous health data monitoring. However,
Methodology: 5 User Test with a Figjam Prototype
[Insight 2]
[Question 3] How do we create a dashboard that best informs and supports a doctor’s ability to care for their patients?
Objective:
Methodology: 5 in-depth interviews with mothers
[Insight 3]
Reflection
Don’t delay connecting with the users. Initially, I was hesitant about connecting with doctors. I wanted to wait until we had a more fully realized prototype before reaching out to hear their perspective. This approach negated to consider how gaining a preliminary understanding
Advocate for what you believe in. Initially, I was hesitant about connecting with doctors. I wanted to wait until we had a more fully realized prototype before reaching out to hear their perspective. This approach negated to consider how gaining a preliminary understanding
Really consider all of your stakeholders. If I had more time, I would have loved to speak with partners. Partners are a vital component of maintaining and monitoring the health of new mothers. Learning how to support them in this system would have facilitated more support for mothers.
Focus on the core functionality. While building this product, it was easy to get carried away thinking about all the potential features and qualities Fourth Trimester Health could have. Creativity and imagination