'Giving and Receiving'-Peer Volunteers' Experiences of Online Perinatal Support: A Qualitative Study

To explore peer volunteers' experiences of delivering online support through SMART to at-risk mothers during the perinatal period, to inform future improvements to mobile-health-application (mHealth app) based peer-support interventions.

Descriptive qualitative research.

The study was conducted between February 2024 and June 2025 in a tertiary public healthcare institution in Singapore. Twenty peer volunteers were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling and participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.

Four themes were identified: (a) Giving and receiving: the inner world of peer volunteers; (b) Navigating relational complexity in digital peer support; (c) Facilitating connection and continuity in digital peer support; and (d) Building better connections through supportive ecosystems.

Peers reported experiencing reciprocal benefits, such as a sense of fulfilment and achievement, while supporting mothers. Shared experiences and psychosocial vulnerabilities enhanced relatability, reassurance and rapport, which sustained supportive relationships. Challenges encountered by peers highlighted the need for strengthening both intervention design and peer training.

Regular check-ins by programme facilitators, alongside clear information, flexible guidelines and reassurance, can improve peer volunteers' motivation and resilience, thereby ensuring consistent and sustainable support for at-risk mothers.

Examined peer volunteers' experiences in providing online perinatal support to mothers with diverse psychosocial vulnerabilities. Peers offered emotional, informational and practical support, while mothers benefited from learning how peers had coped with their psychosocial vulnerabilities. Shared experiences fostered confidence and reassurance among mothers that they, too could overcome similar adversities. Valuable in providing both medically accurate perinatal information and meaningful social support to perinatal mothers.

The reporting of the study adheres to the standards outlined in the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.

Mothers and peer volunteers contributed valuable insights and suggestions that helped in the design of the intervention.