Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Mar 26, 2026
Date Accepted: Aug 4, 2026
An Education and Support Chatbot for Postpartum Mothers with Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Needs Assessment
ABSTRACT
Background:
The US opioid crisis has had a significant effect on women of reproductive age both nationally and regionally. Increasing numbers of women report opioid misuse during pregnancy and overdose rates tend to increase during the postpartum. The postpartum period is a time of increased vulnerability to stress and social isolation heightening the risk of relapse to use or overdose. Increasingly mHealth interventions have been used to reach this population.
Objective:
To address the increasing epidemic of perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD), which is compounded by loneliness and social isolation, this study aimed to adapt an existing mobile health chatbot intervention for postpartum individuals by developing educational and supportive content relevant to people in the postpartum period experiencing OUD and recovery.
Methods:
We employed a participatory design to conduct a needs assessment via in-depth qualitative interviews with patients (12) and providers (11). Interview data were analyzed using NVivo software and identified major themes to address via an interactive chatbot. An advisory board was convened to review the data and contribute to content development.
Results:
Patients and providers agreed that an interactive chatbot would be useful for patients seeking information on childbirth recovery, substance use recovery, pain management, infant care including feeding, and substance use recovery. Patients specifically wanted a chatbot that felt personal and addressed their individual and specific needs. Providers indicated that the chatbot should address topics that came up frequently in after-hours phone calls to reduce provider burden.
Conclusions:
Conducting an in-depth participatory-driven needs assessment will support refining an existing chatbot to better meet the needs of a high-risk, difficult to reach population. As we move forward to test the chatbot for acceptability and feasibility, data from the needs assessment will support ongoing iterative enhancement of the content, delivery, and safety of the chatbot. Clinical Trial: N/A
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