PREGNANCY APP TACKLES FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY DURING LABOUR WITH INTUITIVE DIGITAL BIRTH COMPANION AND CONTRACTION TIMER

● Carea, the pregnancy and postnatal wellbeing app, has launched its new Contraction Timer, combining intelligent labour pattern analysis, real-time birth insights and integrated wellbeing tools

● Research shows fear and anxiety during labour can affect birth experiences and labour progression, highlighting the need for greater support during childbirth[1]

● The new feature, developed with input from Carea users and midwife advisors has been designed to help women feel calmer and more confident during labour, particularly in the early stages when many are at home without direct clinical support

London, 8 July 2026 - Carea, the pregnancy and postnatal wellbeing app, has launched a new Contraction Timer that combines contraction tracking, emotional support and real-time labour insights to help women feel more confident and reassured during early labour and throughout.

The feature has been developed as a digital birth companion, combining contraction tracking, intelligent labour pattern analysis, hypnobirthing audio and positive birth affirmations within a single experience that supports women during one of the most physically and emotionally exhausting experiences of their lives.

Women begin timing by tapping a central button when a contraction starts and again when it eases. The app automatically records contraction duration, intervals and averages, building a real-time picture of labour progression. A contractions log allows women, birth partners and healthcare professionals to quickly understand how labour is developing.

The timer also analyses contraction patterns in real time, identifying when contractions become more regular, frequent and sustained. When labour appears to be progressing, the app provides a clear and compassionate notification encouraging women to review their birth plan or contact their healthcare provider.

Addressing uncertainty during labour

The Carea Contraction Timer was developed to tackle some of the most common challenges women face during labour, including uncertainty about when to seek support and the anxiety that can come with labouring at home.

Guidance such as the 5-1-1 rule, which recommends contacting maternity services when contractions occur every five minutes, last for one minute and continue for at least an hour, can be a useful indicator of active labour. However, tracking contractions accurately in real time is often easier said than done. It means many women arrive at hospital too early and are sent home, while others delay seeking support because they are unsure whether labour has progressed far enough.

By automatically analysing contraction patterns and presenting information in a clear, easy-to-understand format, Carea helps remove some of that guesswork, giving women and their birth partners greater confidence in deciding when to review their birth plan or contact a healthcare provider.

The feature also brings together tools that are often spread across multiple apps, combining contraction timing, hypnobirthing audio, birth affirmations and labour guidance all in one place.

Supporting women's emotional wellbeing

Research shows that fear, anxiety and emotional distress are common during labour and can affect both the experience of birth and labour progression[1]. But addressing these emotional needs through timely support and reassurance can help reduce psychological distress and contribute to more positive outcomes for mothers and their babies[2].

As a result, there is growing recognition that labour support should extend beyond practical tracking tools to include emotional wellbeing and personalised reassurance throughout the birth journey. This is particularly important during early labour, when many women are at home for hours before seeing a midwife and can feel isolated or uncertain about how labour is progressing.

While contraction timing is one of the most commonly used labour tools, most existing apps function as little more than stopwatches. Carea was designed to go further by combining practical labour tracking with emotional support and real-time labour pattern analysis, which provides personalised guidance when it matters most.

The development of the Carea Contraction Timer was also heavily influenced by feedback from Carea's user community, with women consistently asking for more than a simple contraction timer.

Anastasia Shubareva-Epshtein, Founder and CEO of Carea, said: "I experienced antenatal depression during both of my pregnancies, so I understand how much anxiety can accompany the approach of labour. Having a tool that not only tracks contractions but also provides reassurance and guidance would have made a tremendous difference to me personally. Being pregnant again now, I am genuinely excited that I will be able to use this feature myself."

Clarissa Battaglino, Carea Advisor and Midwife The Motherhood Practice, said: “As a midwife and lead of The Motherhood Practice, I’ve been looking at Carea’s new contraction timer and its holistic approach to supporting people during labour. What stands out is that it goes beyond simple timing, it also considers the psychological aspects of labour, which is often overlooked in digital tools.

For many expectant parents, one of the most challenging aspects is recognising patterns in contractions and understanding when it may be time to head to hospital. Tools like this can help users track frequency and progression more clearly, offering reassurance and structure during what can be an uncertain stage of labour.

I also appreciate the inclusion of hypnobirthing features, which may support women in managing contraction pain through breathing, relaxation, and focused coping strategies. Integrating these techniques into a single platform reflects a more comprehensive understanding of labour support.

From a midwifery perspective, I would recommend this type of tool to partners and birth support people as well. It provides a shared reference point, helping them stay engaged and informed, and being able to report confidently pre-labour/ labour progress to health professionals at the hospital.

Overall, I think it represents a thoughtful step towards combining practical monitoring with emotional and psychological support in childbirth”

The Carea Contraction Timer is now available through the latest version of the Carea app on the App Store and Google Play.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact Emily Thomson at emily.thomson@ltprglobal.com or + 44 7470 880295, or Sarah Robinson at sarah.robinson@ltprglobal.com or on + 44 7545 895404.

About Carea

Carea is a UK-based maternal wellbeing platform founded by a mother who experienced miscarriage, IVF, and the realities of postpartum recovery firsthand. Created to put mothers - not just babies - at the heart of care, Carea combines expert guidance, emotional wellbeing tools and daily trackers to support women through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. Its mission is to make compassionate, trigger-free antenatal and maternal care accessible to all. The Carea app has already been downloaded 10,000 times since its launch in April 2025.