Sharing, Support-Seeking, and Managing Safety: A Qualitative Study of Online Platform Engagement After Pregnancy Loss

Online social platforms can provide important benefits to users following pregnancy loss. However, while research to date has provided insights into the opportunities and challenges of online platform use after pregnancy loss, we have a limited understanding of how users actively work to navigate these environments in order to successfully share their experiences, seek support, and protect themselves online. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of online platform engagement after pregnancy loss, by examining how users manage their experiences and make decisions across platforms. We recruited 92 participants who had experienced pregnancy loss, through a qualitative online survey and semi-structured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis was then conducted. Our findings demonstrate how participants actively worked to locate relevant pregnancy loss content, to share such content only with desired audiences, and to find safe online pregnancy loss spaces. However, users also struggled to manage algorithm-driven content, upsetting audience reactions, and discomfort in online pregnancy loss spaces. As these challenges could lead to emotional distress and potential re-traumatisation among this population, this raises key concerns for their safety and wellbeing online. In response to this, we discuss the implications of our study for supporting safer online platform engagement within future CSCW research and practice, specifically from the perspective of trauma-informed care.