Designing Digital Tools for Reproductive Health and Rights: Uncovering Design Needs and Tensions in the U.S. Post-Roe

After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, access to abortion care in the United States has been highly restricted, with some states imposing complete bans on abortion. In this newly emerging restrictive social context, people rely on methods outside of formal healthcare settings to manage their reproductive health, one of which is self-managed pill-based abortion. Digital tools present a novel opportunity to help people navigate the complex task of seeking self-managed abortions. However, deliberately designing digital tools to support this need remains an underexplored topic. This research aims to explore the design needs and requirements for aiding people living in the U.S. to seek a self-managed abortion by conducting a two-phased study: first, investigating the needs of U.S. abortion seekers, and then using these needs to design a platform that serves as a design probe. Our findings reveal core design tensions, concerns, and opportunities when conceptualizing technologies for abortion care. This study contributes meaningfully to the discussion on how digital technologies can be deliberately designed to foster bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.