Meet a New Mom’s Best Friend: The Stork Advisor App
To meet the needs of pregnant women, and help support them throughout their pregnancy and birth, Stanley Yeatts (MD) and his team founded the Stork Advisor ® app. This app is an innovative digital platform which supports women through information and connective resources before, during, and after pregnancy.
Stork Advisor was founded in response to growing maternal healthcare concerns in the United States. About half of pregnant women report that they don’t feel comfortable asking questions to their healthcare providers during pregnancy, with the US having the worst record of this discomfort compared to other developed nations. Racial and economic disparities are also at play, with women of color and women with fewer economic resources more likely to suffer from serious complications during their pregnancy, presumably due to a lack of comprehensive care. This is compounded by the fact that one third of the US is considered a ‘maternal healthcare desert’, due to the lack of pregnancy specific care centers in the areas. Women are often left feeling isolated and alone during pregnancy, made worse by the growing epidemic of social media, which results in greater risks of mental health problems. Due to these concerns, there was a clear need for a platform to support women during their pregnancy, and arm them with information regarding health and wellness.
The Stork Advisor app was made to inform, support and connect women. With the app, or by visiting the Stork Advisor website, a variety of invaluable information regarding pregnancy and birth from experienced medical professionals is available. These resources span from health and wellness practices before and during pregnancy, to birth and then the postpartum period, including potential warning signs after giving birth. Specific examples include videos of prenatal yoga from a certified yoga instructor, product reviews of all-things-baby from other mothers, options of pain medication for labor, an ovulation calculator - the list continues. The wealth of information offered to women trying to get pregnant, looking for information about birth or even just wanting to find a good stroller is incredible.
A few of the app’s features in particular make it an ideal first step for women struggling with a lack of information or a lack of connection with others. The app is completely and totally free, for all users, with absolutely zero limitations, making it accessible regardless of a woman's economic resources. The app also offers a platform for users to share and rate their birth experiences at different hospitals, which can help women decide which hospital is best for them. The ‘Stork Alert’ feature also enables parents to quickly and easily alert their close friends and family that the baby is on the way. The year after the baby is born is also a very important time in both the mother and baby’s life, so the app also has parenting posts from current moms and a self-care section to encourage well-being. These features contribute to the app being a positive addition to a soon to be mom’s resources, promoting information and connection.
The Stork Advisor app is an incredible innovation to make women capable and confident before, during and after pregnancy. Apps and resources like this frame pregnancy in such a natural, positive and do-able way by providing practical support for women are one step towards a nation that values life from its very beginning!
