Can your Apple Watch detect pregnancy?

Researchers used a mix of behavioral and biometric data to train an artificial intelligence model. 

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The research comes from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, which collected over 15 billion data points from more than 162,000 participants. The data came through the everyday use of the Apple Watch and iPhone. For the pregnancy research, the model analyzed information from 430 reported pregnancies and more than 25,000 non-pregnant participants. The AI looked at more than heart rate and temperature. It also examined movement patterns, sleep habits and exercise routines.

According to the study, changes in behavior provided strong clues. For example, a shift in walking gait or a change in bedtime routine could signal early pregnancy. 

"Pregnancy results in substantial changes to an individual's behavior," the researchers said. "Hence, this task acts as a clear example of the complementary nature of modeling both types of data."

Pregnancy was just one of several health conditions the AI model learned to identify. The researchers also tested the model on other health issues with strong results. It predicted diabetes with 82% accuracy, infection with 76% accuracy and injury with 69% accuracy. These findings suggest that AI-powered wearables may soon do much more than count steps or track sleep. They could help detect serious health changes before symptoms even appear.

A recent FTC study confirmed growing skepticism. Women are less likely to trust apps that collect reproductive health information, especially when the companies do not make their data practices clear. That raises an important question. Even if the Apple Watch can detect early signs of pregnancy, would users want it to?

Apple continues to build tools for reproductive and maternal health. In 2019, it added menstrual cycle tracking to the Health app. In 2023, it introduced a pregnancy tracking feature for the Apple Watch. The company has not announced any plans to turn the AI findings into a consumer feature. But this research shows where Apple's focus may be headed. With support from public health officials calling for widespread use of wearables, Apple could play a key role in shaping the future of personalized healthcare.

More about the Apple Watch and what other health conditions it will help you uncover: CyberGuy.com/AppleWatch

This study shows that your Apple Watch may someday detect major health changes before you notice them. It is not a replacement for a doctor, but it could become a powerful early-warning tool. Still, trust and transparency will matter just as much as the technology itself.

Would you feel comfortable if your watch told you that you might be pregnant or detect any other major health changes?  Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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