Matritva App
empowering rural mothers to track pregnancy & combat child malnutrition.
Healthcare | MOBILE APPlication
internship at umass medical chan school
Educational
Strength
Warmth
Matritva App (Motherhood)
A Maternal Medical-service Ecology designed for pregnant women in rural India.
Team
Toolkit
Aug - Dec 2023
Concept Design
Apurv Soni, Mentor
Andres Colubri, UX Lead
Ibriz Moonim, PM
My Role
UX Design Intern
— Problem Solving, MVP Scoping, Market Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, Design Systems
During my co-op at UMass Medical, I designed a mobile application that leverages predictive analysis to help parents in rural India manage pregnancy and address child malnutrition.
The app promotes a healthy lifestyle for both mother and newborn through structured workflows that connect users with community healthcare workers and doctors, enabling real-time monitoring of health and diet.
Adobe XD
Balsamiq Wireframes
Figma
User Berry
Timeline & Status
CONTEXT
The Human Cost of Inadequate Care
35,000+
women
in 2017
Women lost to pregnancy & childbirth-related complications in India
📅 That's 96 women every day
See Meena’s Story>
12%
of global
mortality
Of global maternal mortality occurs in India - being 17.7% of world population
📍 Concentrated in rural regions
View Regional Impact >
60%
preventable
deaths
Deaths could be prevented with proper monitoring and early intervention
🧒 That's 250,000 children annually
See how technology helps? >
MISSION
High Level Goal
To create an Android Mobile Application that
uses predictive analysis and data science
for tracking pregnant women and child health, in rural India to support community healthcare workers in fighting against infant malnutrition
Target Users: Healthcare Workers
Focus: Maternal & Child Health
Technology: Predictive Analytics
Next: Research & Discovery
The Problem
Maternal & Child Health Crisis in Rural India
In rural India, limited access to healthcare information and resources leads to preventable maternal and infant deaths. Community healthcare workers lack the tools to effectively monitor high-risk pregnancies and infant nutrition.
Meet Reema & her daughter
A young mother from rural India who lacks access to proper prenatal care and nutritional guidance
The lack of education and resources during pregnancy contributes to this issue.
Real time monitoring & tracking
1
Track vital health metrics and medication schedules with automated reminders and personalized insights.
Healthcare Worker Access
2
Connect seamlessly with community healthcare workers for virtual consultations and emergency support.
Predictive Analysis
3
Use predictive analysis and machine learning to identify potential issues.
How might we help..
Pregnant mothers are looking find a way to track their baby’s health, receive updates, and get trusted advice—without frequent doctor visits
Pregnancy in rural India is inconsistently tracked due to limited healthcare access, poor infrastructure, and geographical barriers.
Meanwhile, child malnutrition and preventable deaths remain a serious concern, driven by lack of awareness, posing a significant challenge to India's population health.
India has two main cadres of government Community Healthcare Workers:
How is pregnancy current tracked in India?
CURRENT SCENARIOS
ASHAs: Act as a bridge between their community and the public health system. They provide essential health education, focusing on reproductive health, diabetes prevention, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Anganwadis: Anganwadis are government centers in India that provide nutrition, healthcare, and early education to children under six, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, aiming to improve child development and maternal health.
ASHAs: Act as a bridge between their community and the public health system. They provide essential health education, focusing on reproductive health, diabetes prevention, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Anganwadis: Anganwadis are government centers in India that provide nutrition, healthcare, and early education to children under six, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, aiming to improve child development and maternal health.
Problems Faced by the Anganwadi's & ASHA's:
CURRENT SCENARIOS
ASHAs: Act as a bridge between their community and the public health system. They provide essential health education, focusing on reproductive health, diabetes prevention, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Anganwadis: Anganwadis are government centers in India that provide nutrition, healthcare, and early education to children under six, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, aiming to improve child development and maternal health.
Through primary and secondary research, we identified the key challenges faced by ASHA and Anganwadi workers. This insight was gathered from newspaper reports and direct interviews, helping us understand their pain points and daily struggles.
Study Reference: IJFMR
Manual Record-Keeping:
Without digital tools, workers rely on paper records, leading to errors and inefficiencies in prenatal care, immunizations, and nutrition tracking.
THINK INDIA QUARTERLY
Increased Workload:
Repetitive data entry burdens Anganwadi workers, limiting community engagement and service delivery.
FELLOWSHIP.BLUEKRAFT.IN
Delayed Data Processing:
Reliance on manual methods results in slower data compilation and reporting, hindering prompt decision-making and timely interventions in critical health situations.
KICK OFF & BREIF CREATION
We outlined the project scope and users:
Our teams designed and developed three applications for the following three groups of users.
Clientelle ( Employees)
Including professionals like social workers, nurses, and other specialists to provide support.
Service Users (Mothers/Fathers/Guardians)
Needs to improve quality of life, track child’s health, and learn about pregnancy care.
Caregiver/ Doctors (Family Members)
Needs to track patient health and stay connected with healthcare workers.
My Contribution
Three different user groups with, different user scenarios in one app
Streamlined dashboard for quick patient overview
Minimalist UI to reduce cognitive load during busy shifts
Color-coded priority system for urgent cases
Clientelle (Employees)
Caregiver/Doctors
Service Users
Visual progress trackers for health milestones
Simplified navigation for varying tech literacy
Accessible language and iconography
Visual progress trackers for health milestones
Simplified navigation for varying tech literacy
Accessible language and iconography
The product was
designed for two
unique personas
PARENT:
A parent of 2 children who is concerned about the health and well being of her new born baby, and how to take care.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE WORKER:
A healthcare worker, who lives far away, and does not have enough resources to help the parent.
I conducted interviews with 10 employees, followed and observed their daily work and visit to seniors' home, analyzed their work documents and current CMS system.
01. Front-line care workers need clear & updated schedule, task know-how, and be able to get urgent support.
Front-line case workers need to visit several seniors to provide different services everyday. The shift and service details always keep changing. They had to check the updated schedule everyday on a paper posted in the NGO center.
Research Findings
PRIMARY RESEARCH
We analyzed the existing data logging processes across various available resources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current system.
02. The information of each case need to be better archived, centralized and shared among employees.
Professionals and front-line case workers may work for the same service users. However, the information for each service cannot be easily shared among all. They need to specifically ask each other to get the updates when needed.
AWW USED WHATSAPP TO UPDATE EACH OTHER IF AVAILABLE IT WAS HARD TO RETRIEVE
SCATTERED DOCUMENTS CANNOT BE PARSED EASILY
03. Manual paper works is not efficient and leads to mistakes
Previously, the whole workflow, from clock-in, clock-out to recording updates and marking transportation cost, were done manually, which takes large amount of time and often brings about mistakes.
To create a holistic design solution, we created users' journey based on interview and mapped pain points and design values onto the journey. By doing so, we could re-evaluate the design concept and features holistically, and make sure that all of users' goals can be achieved, their pain points can be relieved and unnecessary features can be avoided.
Journey Mapping
CONVERTING RESEARCH TO INFORED DECISIONS
SECONDARY RESEARCH
As a team we condudteced a thorough resrach on affinity mapping, competetior analysis as weel as undertsanding the fetaures our app shoul cater too.
01. Front-line care workers need clear & updated schedule, task know-how, and be able to get urgent support.
Front-line case workers need to visit several seniors to provide different services everyday. The shift and service details always keep changing. They had to check the updated schedule everyday on a paper posted in the NGO center.
Affinity Mapping & Market Research
Andres
Purti
Apurv
Ibriz
We analyzed the existing data logging processes across various available resources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current system.
We then created a prioritization matrix, categorizing features.
This matrix served as the foundation for our information architecture and design decisions.
Building on this, we outlined each feature in detail, mapping out specific workflows to ensure a seamless user experience. This structured approach allowed us to address key pain points effectively, ensuring that our final design aligned with both user needs and business goals.
This helped us narrow down our features
FEATURE SCOPING & PRIORITIZATION
Good to have features for Value-Added Benefits
Diet & Nutrition Recommendations
Personalized meal plans based on pregnancy stages and child growth.
Emergency Medical Support Feature
Direct contact options for urgent health issues.
Multilingual Support
Available in multiple regional languages for wider accessibility.
AI-Based Health Risk Predictions
AI-Based Health Risk Predictions
Teleconsultation with Doctors
Allows users to connect with health professionals remotely.
Features Critical for User Needs
Prenatal & Child Health Tracking
Monitor pregnancy milestones, child growth (weight, height, nutrition), and immunization schedules.
Smart Health Reminders & Alerts
Timely notifications for doctor visits, vaccination dates, and nutrition intake.
Offline & Voice-Assisted Functionality
Ensures accessibility in rural areas with limited internet and supports users with low literacy.
Health Guidance & Symptom Checker
Easy-to-understand pregnancy, postpartum, and child health education with AI-powered insights.
ASHA & Anganwadi Worker Integration
Enables digital record-keeping, better follow-ups, and direct coordination with healthcare workers.
Features that are Out of Scope for Now
Advanced AI Diagnosis & Treatment Suggestions
The app will not replace doctors or medical professionals by diagnosing or prescribing treatments.
Localized Vendor Marketplace
Lists affordable nutrition and healthcare supplies.
High-Data Usage Features
No heavy multimedia content (e.g., HD videos, live streaming) to ensure accessibility in low-internet areas.
Wearable Device Integration
The app will not initially support syncing with fitness bands or smart health trackers.
Building on our prioritization matrix, we developed user flows for each user type, ensuring a structured and intuitive navigation experience.
These flows mapped out key interactions, entry points, and decision paths, allowing us to anticipate user behaviors and pain points. By aligning the flows with user needs and business objectives, we ensured a seamless, efficient, and goal-oriented experience across different touchpoints.
Information Architecture
PRODUCT ECOLOGY
Making the connections
Task
Data collection in real‐time and face‐to‐face counselling
Prediction of weight
Delivery of pushed text messages
Delivery of pushed voice messages
Delivery of alert (text) messages
Mobile phone to mobile phone counseling
Field supervisory app
Suggestion on healthcare
Provider
ASHA’s / Anganwadi / CHW
Programmed Predictive Model
Server delivered/programmed
Server delivered/programmed
Server delivered/programmed
Study ANM Counsellor
Field Supervisor
Server delivered/programmed
Recipient
App Solution
Using the Garbhasutra app with
Embedded counselling messages and videos
Automated program through data entered in the app
Automated program through data entered in the app
Automated program through data entered in the app
Using the Garbhasutra app to schedule calls and recordings
Using the Garbhasutra app to schedule calls and recordings
Using the app for supervising the work on ASHA’s
Embedded counseling messages and videos
Schedule and frequency
Monthly home visits starting 10 month of infant age
Thrice a week enrolment of infant age and health until 12 months of age
Once a week starting enrolment of infant until 12 months of age.
Conditional: Based on emergency detected on the app
Every fortnightly starting from enrolment of infant until 12 months of age.
Monthly based on the meetings with project managers till 12months
Thrice a week enrolment of infant age and health until 12 months of age
Abbreviations: ANM (Auxiliary nurse midwife, CHW (Community Health Care Workers), ASHA’s (Accredited Social Health Activists).
Reference Point: Msakhi
User
ASHA’s / Anganwadi / CHW / ANM Counselor
To better understand the application and its solutions, I analyzed the different user roles, tasks, and notifications. I created a persona-based task matrix to map out tasks, frequencies, notification providers, and recipients. This helped define roles, responsibilities, and interactions, ensuring a clear and efficient user experience.
PERSONA BASED TASK ASSESMENT
The app supports diverse users, touchpoints, and updates. After defining a persona-based task analysis matrix, we conducted a system mapping exercise to identify key touchpoints and interactions, ensuring seamless functionality and connectivity.
Product
Ecology
Security?
User/Patient
CHW
Server
Actions
Parent 1
Parent 2
Patient Information
CHW / ASHA
Server
Predictive Analysis
Notifcations
And Alerts
Doctor 1
Doctor 2
Push Texts
Alert Texts
Counselling
Videos
Data Collection
Garbhasutra
Security?
This helped us create a clear information architecture and user journeys to understand user interactions with the system.
Misson Statement
A mobile application that empowers professionals & care workers to work more efficiently and collaboratively through:
Parents/Guardian
Healthcare Worker
💊
Emergency Alerts
Notifies users about missed doses and urgent medication schedules, ensuring timely intake.
⚠️
🤰
Patient Health Records
Allows users to consult with pharmacists about medication shortages or potential interactions with other illnesses.
📊
Patient Health Records
Enables patients to track their health data and medication history, helping them.
📹
Medication Information
Community platform where users can ask questions about medications and watch videos for help.
Wireframes and iterations
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PLATFORM DECISION
Why Android? Prioritizing Accessibility and Usability
We prioritized functionality over aesthetics to make PremApp accessible, intuitive, and efficient for rural India.
Jakob's Law Application
We leveraged familiar interface patterns that users already know,
reducing the learning curve for rural users.
Key Design Decisions
Accessibility First
Simple, clear interfaces with minimal cognitive load
for users with varying literacy levels
Offline Support
Robust offline functionality for areas with limited
internet connectivity
Resource Efficient
Optimized for low-end Android devices common in rural areas
94.53%
Android's market share in India's mobile operating system
market as of February 2021
Garbhasutra
Roboto
Regular/ Medium/Bold
Typography
(गर्भसूत्र)
रोबोटो
Regular/ Medium/Bold
Icons
Illustrations & Button Styles
Colors
The color palette combines bold Indian reds with soft purples, symbolizing motherhood's warmth and healthcare's professionalism.
Logo
"Garbha" means pregnancy, and "Sutra" means guide. The name represents a guiding thread for a healthy pregnancy journey.
The fused mother and child symbolize their bond, representing care, protection during pregnancy.
We prioritized functionality over aesthetics to make PremApp accessible, intuitive, and efficient for rural India.
Building the design system
DESIGN GOAL: FLEXIBILITY | Super Admin
Service Schedule (Landing Page)
Have a picture of what today be like
Read the district codes first to easier
arrange today’s route
Streamlined User Management Pop-Up for Efficient Role Modification
DESIGN GOAL: FLEXIBILITY | Super Admin
Service Details
Get updates from the last shift
Learn to execute service with ease
Streamlined User Management Pop-Up for Efficient Role Modification
DESIGN GOAL: FLEXIBILITY | Super Admin
Bulletin
Learn about the case’s latest condition
from different professionals’ perspectives
Streamlined User Management Pop-Up for Efficient Role Modification
Key Learnings & Takeaways
Although the app was initially a proposal for a research paper, my work on it was showcased at the 2023 G20 New Delhi Summit in India by Dr. Apurv Soni. The presentation highlighted the future of health-tech in India and its role in making healthcare more accessible in rural areas.
This experience provided valuable insights, helping me understand key considerations beyond the MVP features and refining the project’s direction based on real-world feedback.
The App did not consider a lot of edge cases
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Limited Training and Support
Even when digital tools are introduced, inadequate training and support can render them ineffective. Workers may struggle with new technologies without proper guidance, leading to underutilization of available resources.
Infrastructure Deficiencies:
Many Anganwadi centers lack basic amenities such as electricity and internet connectivity, essential for operating digital health tracking systems. This infrastructural gap poses a significant barrier to the adoption of technology-based solutions
