Fitness Trackers Are Flagging Pregnancies Before Users Know Themselves

Wearable device data on heart rate and other metrics is helping some women spot early pregnancy signs

Hundreds of women say the data collected by their fitness trackers alerted them to signs of early pregnancy before they had confirmed it themselves, according to the BBC.

One user, identified as Ravika, is among a growing number of wearers who told the BBC they noticed unusual patterns in their tracker data — changes that in hindsight lined up with early pregnancy — ahead of receiving formal confirmation.

The trend points to a broader shift in how consumer wearables, originally marketed mainly for tracking steps, sleep and workouts, are increasingly being used by wearers to monitor subtle physiological changes tied to reproductive health. Devices that track metrics such as resting heart rate and body temperature can pick up on shifts associated with early pregnancy, prompting some users to investigate further and ultimately confirm a pregnancy through a home test.

The reports reflect the expanding role wearable technology is playing in personal health monitoring beyond fitness and exercise, as companies build out features aimed at menstrual cycle tracking and broader health insights. The BBC's reporting drew on accounts from wearers rather than a clinical study, and did not indicate how consistently trackers can identify pregnancy signs across users.

— Compiled from reporting by the BBC.