Influencer Michaela Forni has become a leader in the babytech industry with the Baby Journey app. The app is used by thousands of pregnant women and has been profitable since launch. Meanwhile, midwives warn that pregnancy apps may increase uncertainty rather than provide reassurance.
Michaela Forni, 36, took over as CEO of Baby Journey last year. The app launched in 2020 with her fiancé Damon Foroozesh and brother Timothy Forni. It is free and funded by advertising and partnerships. The latest annual report shows revenue over 25 million kronor with 20 employees in Östermalm, Stockholm.
Forni describes the app as a "digital midwife who is also your best friend". Content is verified by licensed medical staff and complements healthcare. "We earn zero kronor on our healthcare content", she says, dismissing criticism of unnecessary worry. "It doesn't end the pondering."
Midwife Karin Mikaelsson Nordin, unit manager for clinics in Stockholm including Farsta, notes increasing uncertainty among pregnant women. "We experience increasing uncertainty among pregnant women", she says. The apps turn pregnancy into an "illness state" and lack a calming effect, according to her.
PhD student Beatrice Tylstedt at Uppsala University has interviewed app users. Many feel reassured, but the information can create unfounded worry if the pregnancy deviates from norms. "If you don't, it can create worry that is often unfounded", she says.
