After life-threatening ordeal and 3 miscarriages, duo sets up social enterprise to help mums

SINGAPORE — They were colleagues working together in a healthcare start-up who bonded over the pain of their difficult pregnancies.

Now Frances Wong, whose second pregnancy was a life-threatening ordeal, and Diora Henson, who suffered three miscarriages, are on a mission to guide mothers dealing with challenging pregnancies.

The two, who are in their early 40s, worked together to set up Hatch+ by Asia Digital Doctors in March 2023, a one-stop platform through the start-up, with features like a live chat service with a nurse and articles by medical experts. Its social enterprise project, Hatchcare, which was birthed in May 2023, provides subsidised services for those who have high-risk pregnancies.

Recalling her brush in 2018 with a life-threatening condition called placenta percreta, which could have caused excessive bleeding when she was giving birth as the placenta had attached itself to her bladder, Wong said: "I had to juggle my emotions and lived in constant fear that I might deliver and haemorrhage anytime. This could result in death for both myself and my baby — leaving behind my husband and my firstborn." She said there were no support groups she could turn to then.

Though her baby boy was safely delivered through caesarean section, Wong then faced issues with breastfeeding because she did not produce enough milk, and her baby was not latching properly.

"Breastfeeding is often mistakenly perceived as a straightforward and effortless process by many expectant mothers, when in reality, it can be quite complex and demanding. It involves a multitude of factors, including proper latch-on techniques, milk production regulation, and responsive feeding practices," said Wong, who wanted to help mothers better manage such challenges.

Henson suffered a miscarriage of her first pregnancy at 10 weeks, when she was just 25. Two years later, she lost a pair of twins at five-and-a-half months into her pregnancy. To make matters worse, her father died shortly afterwards. During that period, she had yearned for a support system beyond medical staff, so she and her husband could share their fears and seek solace in knowing they were not alone.

"I firmly believe that having access to credible and reliable information and resources on miscarriages, pregnancy and newborn care is crucial, as it can empower parents to make informed decisions and seek appropriate and timely medical care as they navigate the challenging path to parenthood," said Henson, now the mother of a 14-year-old boy.

Articles by medical experts on Hatch+ cover topics such as labour and delivery, breastfeeding, and postnatal health and wellness. On weekdays from 9am to 6pm, mothers can also live chat with the platform's in-house registered nurse about their pre- and postnatal and paediatric concerns. The platform also has midwives and dieticians.

Under Hatchcare, the social enterprise project, mothers who are currently pregnant or have given birth in the past 90 days can book a pre-or post-natal lactation consultation or mental wellness session at a subsidised rate of $50. Whether they are single or married, they simply have to meet any of nine criteria, which include being 35 and above, delivering a pre-term baby at 36 weeks or fewer, having gestational diabetes, and dealing with symptoms of depression.

[[nid:617358]]

Hatchcare hopes to help at least 3,700 mothers annually, or about 10 per cent of women who give birth in a year. According to figures by the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority, there were 35,605 live births in Singapore in 2022.

Since its inception, Hatchcare has helped more than 320 expecting and new mothers. Their seed funding, the amount of which they declined to reveal, came from blog site Pregnancy SG and some philanthropists.

About 170 women have benefited from postnatal care, which included advice from a lactation consultant on how to find the right flange size for a breast pump, how to relieve breast engorgement, and tips on newborn care. About 120 mothers sought help for prenatal care, and had access to breastfeeding tips, antenatal classes and pregnancy seminars. Another 30 mums had received mental wellness counselling.

Claire Lee, 37, who runs a traditional Chinese medicine clinic, first heard about Hatchcare through her business partner. As a first-time mother, she faced breastfeeding challenges like low milk supply and clogged milk ducts. A lactation consultant came to her home to give her advice and help her clear the blocked ducts.

"When my son was born, he had jaundice and so he had poor appetite and latching issues… So the consultant also showed me how to calm the baby down before trying to breastfeed him," she said.

Content creator Cheryl Chin, 22, was first introduced to Hatchcare by her gynaecologist. The young mum suffered from a case of post-partum depression as she did not get enough sleep or help with the baby, given that her parents were in Malaysia. She went for a counselling session under Hatchcare.

"It really, really helped and made me feel less alone and more confident as a mother. That was how I managed to breastfeed for four months," she said.

ALSO READ: 10 best fertility clinics in Singapore: Learn about fertility health and treatments

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.