Your health journey
Every stage, explained plainly.
What to know at each stage, where the information comes from, and how the Daya app can help.
General information This page explains; it does not diagnose, and your own doctor advises on your situation. It is new and not yet reviewed by Daya’s consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist.
01 · Before pregnancy
Getting ready, on your own terms.
Planning ahead gives you time to ask questions and prepare.
- Folic acid. The World Health Organization advises all women to take a folic acid supplement from the moment they begin trying to conceive until 12 weeks of pregnancy. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which dose is right for you.
- Your medicines and health conditions. If you take regular medicines or have a long-term condition, talk to your doctor before you try to conceive. Don’t stop a prescribed medicine without advice.
- Your cycle. Knowing when your periods usually come helps you, and your doctor, understand your fertile days.
In the Daya app
- Track your cycle and fertility, and bring clearer information to your doctor.
- Ask Daya, the AI assistant, to help you prepare questions for an appointment before pregnancy.
02 · Fertility and assisted reproduction
When pregnancy takes longer.
Trying for a baby can take time, and it can be hard.
What infertility means
Doctors use the word when a pregnancy has not happened after 12 months or more of regular sex without contraception.
It is common
The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility at some point in their lives.
It can involve either partner
The cause can lie with the woman, the man, both, or remain unexplained. It is nobody’s fault, and it is worth assessing both of you.
When to ask a doctor
- Under 35
- After 12 months of trying.
- 35 and over
- After 6 months of trying (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). The NHS also advises women aged 36 and over to see a doctor sooner than a year.
- Over 40
- Sooner still: the American Society for Reproductive Medicine says a more immediate assessment may be warranted.
- Straight away
- If your periods are very irregular or absent, if you have a known condition such as endometriosis or a problem with your tubes or womb, or if your husband has a known fertility problem.
An assessment usually involves both of you: questions about your health and cycles, blood tests and an ultrasound scan for you, and a semen analysis for your husband.
Treatments you may hear about
Medicines to help ovulation, IUI, IVF and ICSI: what each one means, in a sentence or two.
Read the four treatments
- Medicines to help ovulation
- For women who don’t ovulate regularly.
- IUI
- Intrauterine insemination: sperm is placed in the womb through a thin tube around the time of ovulation.
- IVF
- In vitro fertilisation: medicine helps the ovaries produce eggs, the eggs are collected and fertilised in a laboratory, and an embryo is placed in the womb. Success depends on age and other factors.
- ICSI
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a type of IVF in which a single sperm is injected into each egg, often used when sperm count or movement is low.
Which treatment, if any, is right depends on your assessment. Your doctor will explain the options, their chances and their risks.
In the Daya app
- Track your cycle, ask Daya what a term means, and prepare your questions for the doctor.
- Daya does not provide fertility tests or treatment, and does not connect you with another clinician.
03 · During pregnancy
Week by week, with what matters in one place.
Keep your appointments, and keep a record between them, for you and for your doctor.
In the Daya app
- See how many weeks pregnant you are, your estimated due date and how your baby is developing this week.
- Record symptoms and how you feel, and log your blood pressure, weight and blood glucose.
- Count your baby’s movements and time contractions, so you can share exact times rather than estimates.
- If your doctor uses Daya and you are linked: message your doctor, book appointments and see the care plan your doctor sets.
Don’t wait if something feels wrong.
For example, if your baby is moving less than usual, or you have a severe headache or problems with your vision, get medical advice straight away. Do not wait until the next day.
04 · After birth
Recovery takes time, and it is about you too.
The weeks after birth bring a new baby, little sleep and a body that is healing. It is normal to need support.
In the Daya app
- Record the birth, and the app moves to supporting your own recovery: wellbeing check-ins, breastfeeding guidance and the warning signs to watch for in the weeks after delivery.
- If you share with a linked doctor, your doctor can still see what you record after the birth.
Daya is about your own health. For questions about your baby, speak to your baby’s doctor.
05 · Emotional wellbeing after birth
Feeling low after a baby is common, and help is there.
Knowing the difference between the “baby blues” and something that needs help can make it easier to speak up.
The baby blues
Feeling down, anxious, tearful or irritable for a few days after birth is common. It usually goes away within 2 weeks of the birth.
Postnatal depression
If low mood lasts longer than 2 weeks, or starts later, it may be postnatal depression. It can begin during pregnancy or up to a year after birth, and fathers can be affected too. With treatment, you are more likely to get better: talk to your doctor.
Postpartum psychosis
Rare but serious. It usually starts suddenly within the first 2 weeks after birth, with signs such as hearing or seeing things that are not there, strange beliefs or severe confusion. It is a medical emergency: if you or your family notice these signs, seek help immediately.
About screening questionnaires
Doctors and other health professionals sometimes use short questionnaires, such as the widely used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), to check how a new mother is feeling. A questionnaire like this is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
What a score can, and can’t, tell you
The EPDS is ten questions about the past 7 days. A score can suggest that it would help to talk to a professional; the professional’s assessment is what decides.
Questionnaires like the EPDS have been studied for screening. That does not mean the Daya app, or any other app, has been validated or approved for screening.
In the Daya app
- Wellbeing check-ins are a way to record how you are after birth. They are not a screening test or a diagnosis.
- If you share with a linked doctor, your doctor can see your answers.
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, get help now.
Go to the nearest emergency department, or in Egypt call 123 for an ambulance. Tell someone you trust.
06 · Women’s health questions
Not only pregnancy.
Ask Daya about periods, contraception and other women’s health topics. For other health questions, she refers you to your doctor.
See how Daya answersSources
Where this information comes from.
- World Health Organization. Infertility; Periconceptional folic acid supplementation (eLENA).
- Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Fertility evaluation of infertile women: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility, 2021;116:1255–65.
- NHS. Infertility; Infertility treatment; IVF; Pre-eclampsia symptoms; Postnatal depression; Postpartum psychosis.
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (UK). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Reduced fetal movements.
- Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R. Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1987;150:782–6.
Keep your journey in one place.
Track, record and ask your questions in Daya Patient, and share with your doctor if you choose.
