The Educational pilot of Orchid: a new digital health intervention for reproductive life planning and education

BackgroundThe College of Sexual and Reproductive Healths (CoSRH) Hatfield Vision underscores the need for reliable sexual and reproductive health education and outlines specific actions to support teachers in delivering it. Orchid is a novel digital health intervention designed to empower users to understand and manage their reproductive lives, while also serving as an educational aid. This study piloted Orchid in a secondary school setting to assess its feasibility and acceptability as a tool to support the relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum. MethodsOrchid was created with members of our co-development group. We carried out three in-person sessions at a secondary school: 1) students used Orchid, working through pre-set scenarios, 2) Student focus groups, 3) a careers session. Two teachers were interviewed separately. The data were analysed using thematic analysis in NVIVO 14. ResultsOrchid was found to be acceptable and valuable intervention. Existing literature highlights that RSE often prioritises biological content over practical, reproducible learning, and Orchid was seen as a constructive response to these gaps. Pre-set scenarios were useful for exploring the full reproductive life cycle. Teachers and students highlighted that the digital format enhanced engagement and contributed to the development of students technological competencies. ConclusionOur study showed that Orchid was well received as a tool for supporting the RSE curriculum in secondary schools. Wider implementation of digital health educational tools would support delivery of the CoSRH Hatfield Vision. Further work is required to develop the content of Orchid and understand its potential impact.