Hi, I'm Chloe!
I'm a recent Digital Design graduate from Ulster University, Belfast, with a passion for creating thoughtful and inclusive digital experiences. Over the past few years at university, I've grown both as a designer and as a person, discovering a particular interest in empathy-led design. My work is driven by a curiosity and understanding about people's experiences and struggles and an aim to create products that genuinely make a difference to the intended user.
Pearl is a pregnancy support app designed for parents navigating pregnancy after loss. While many existing pregnancy apps focus on celebration, milestones, and positivity, they often fail to recognise the anxiety, grief, fear, and uncertainty that can follow loss. Pearl acknowledges that pregnancy does not always end in bringing a baby home and that future pregnancies after loss can be emotionally complex.
The app provides practical tools such as pregnancy tracking, symptom logging, personalised articles, and appointment reminders, alongside dedicated emotional support. What sets pearl apart is the range of carefully considered features designed to help users feel understood and less alone. These include a community space where users can connect with others in similar situations, a private journal for reflection and emotional expression, wellbeing tools, support resources, and articles specifically written for those experiencing pregnancy after loss. Every feature, interaction, and piece of content was designed with empathy in mind to ensure users feel supported rather than overwhelmed.
A key aspect of Pearl is its inclusivity. Research highlighted that fathers and partners are often overlooked within existing pregnancy apps, receiving fewer features and less support. As a result, Pearl was designed for both parents equally, recognising that pregnancy loss affects entire families and that both parents can experience grief, anxiety, and emotional challenges.
Ultimately, Pearl aims to create a safe and supportive space where parents can access practical information, emotional reassurance, and meaningful connections throughout their pregnancy journey. By combining traditional pregnancy tools with dedicated emotional support, Pearl provides a more caring and realistic approach to pregnancy after loss.
The development of Pearl began with extensive research into the general topic of pregnancy loss and the experiences of parents navigating pregnancy after loss. Initial research introduced me to key statistics, such as, 1 in 4 women experience pregnancy loss, this research highlighted both the scale of the issue and the lack of support available for both parents. To gain first-hand insight, I conducted a survey with 10 participants, including both mothers and fathers who had experienced pregnancy loss. This was followed by two one-to-one interviews with a mother and a father, ensuring that both perspectives were equally represented throughout the project. These conversations provided valuable insight into the emotional challenges, fears, and support needs experienced by both parents.
To further understand the users, I developed user personas, empathy maps, user journey maps, supported by many more user research techniques. These helped me explore how users think, feel, and behave throughout their journey, while identifying struggles and opportunities for more support.
Following the research phase, I began turning my findings into design decisions. Through ideation, sketching, and wire framing, I explored how the app could provide meaningful support while remaining sensitive to the emotional nature of pregnancy after loss.
A deck of playing cards was also created alongside the Pearl app to support couples navigating pregnancy after loss. The cards act as conversation prompts, encouraging open communication around emotions, fears, and experiences that can often be difficult to discuss. As a physical extension of the Pearl brand, they reinforce the app's core values of connection, empathy, and support.
Pearl provides a supportive and inclusive digital experience for parents navigating pregnancy after loss. The final solution brings together practical tools and emotional support within a single platform, helping users feel informed, reassured, and connected throughout their journey.
The visual identity balances both positive and difficult emotions. Pregnancy can be a joyful experience, but for parents who have experienced previous loss, it can also bring anxiety and uncertainty. This thinking influenced the branding, colour palette, tone of voice, and interface design throughout the app. Every feature was designed with both parents in mind, ensuring that the experience felt supportive, inclusive for both, and easy to navigate.
By recognising the challenges that can follow pregnancy loss, Pearl extends past the traditional pregnancy app model to create an experience that is sensitive, empathetic, and user-centred.
The project highlights the importance of designing for often overlooked but commonexperiences and demonstrates how thoughtful design can make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Through intense user research and iterative design, the final outcome addresses key user needs while maintiaing a safe space that supports both parents emotionally and practically throughout pregnancy.
