mummatters was a free perinatal emotional wellbeing app developed by Utility Creative in partnership with Bupa, the University of New South Wales, St John of God Health Care and Australian mums, to provide new and expectant mums with a private, evidence-based way to check their emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and throughout the first year after birth.

The platform incorporated clinically validated screening tools, including the Postnatal Risk Questionnaire (PNRQ), enabling users to identify potential signs of perinatal depression, monitor emotional wellbeing, and access practical resources to support help-seeking and strengthen mental fitness.

mummatters was designed to be easily accessible, available to all women without the need for health insurance membership, and offered immediate self-assessment results that could be used to support conversations with healthcare providers.

Perinatal depression is estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 new mums, with prevalence increasing further postpartum. Moreover, many mums who experience symptoms often do not recognise them or feel unsure about how to raise concerns with their GP or midwife. Screening practices vary across primary healthcare settings, and many women lack a simple, private, and reliable mechanism to self-assess their emotional wellbeing outside clinical appointments.

There was a clear need for a tool that translated best-practice perinatal emotional wellbeing support into an accessible digital format, empowered women to identify risk factors early, and helped reduce stigma by providing a safe entry point for recognising symptoms and seeking timely support.

Utility Creative designed and developed mummatters as a mobile-targeted web application, with multiple validated clinical tools, including the PNRQ, developed by leading Australian perinatal mental health researcher Professor Marie-Paule Austen. The project involved close collaboration with clinical researchers, Bupa’s health content specialists, and a diverse group of Australian mums who participated in rapid ideation, usability testing, and content refinement.

Development followed a structured quality-management approach with defined milestones, iterative reviews, and multiple rounds of feedback. User journeys, content flows, and emotional touchpoints were tested extensively to ensure sensitivity, clarity, and accessibility. The platform prioritised privacy, immediacy, and ease of use, enabling women to receive an instant indication of their emotional wellbeing, which could act as a conversation starter with their GP.

Released in May 2015, the final product successfully combined validated screening tools, clinical reporting pathways and practical wellbeing guidance into a single mobile app, accessible anytime, anywhere. Bupa complemented this work through targeted public health communication, reinforcing the value of monitoring emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and early parenthood and increasing awareness of perinatal depression.

mummatters successfully increased access to perinatal emotional wellbeing support and empowered new and expectant mums to take proactive steps in managing their emotional wellbeing, with:

Nicole, mummatters user