‘No right to make money off us that way’: Woman targeted by baby product marketing after miscarriage

Go Public test reveals Motherhood Maternity not always transparent about how personal information is shared
Rosa Marchitelli · CBC News · Posted: Jan 27, 2019 8:00 PM ET | Last Updated: January 27
Ekaterina Mansouri had no idea how many companies would get her personal information — including her due date — when she shopped at a Motherhood Maternity clothing store. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC)

A woman who miscarried twin boys is devastated that information she gave to a trusted store ended up in the hands of third-party marketing companies — resulting in baby formula arriving at her door when she was no longer pregnant.

“We just lost our babies and we were still recovering,” Ekaterina Mansouri said during an interview in her Toronto home.

“Right away I thought, ‘How could they have this campaign and not think through that they will potentially be hurting women in my situation?’ Miscarriages are very common.”

The practice of companies sharing and selling sensitive customer information to other marketers is “appalling,” according to former Ontario Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian, who says the potential magnitude of the problem is troubling.

Been wronged? Contact Rosa and the Go Public team​

In Canada, 15 to 20 per cent of pregnancies end in miscarriage and more than 3,000 pregnancies a year end in stillbirths.

“It’s tragic when you have a miscarriage … [and] to be reminded of your pregnancy by being sent flyers or coupons or whatever from a maternity-related operation, it’s appalling,” said Cavoukian.