Imagine if your Apple Watch could hint at a pregnancy before you even take a test. That’s exactly what a new Apple-supported study suggests, using AI to analyze data collected from Apple devices—and the results are surprisingly accurate.
Researchers have trained a new AI model using wearables data and discovered that it can predict pregnancy with an impressive 92% accuracy. This model doesn't just consider heart rate or temperature—it goes deeper, analyzing daily behaviors such as sleep patterns, walking habits, and exercise routines.
The AI Behind the Predictions
The model is called the Wearable Health Behavior Foundation Model (WBM). It was developed using data from over 162,000 participants and a staggering 15 billion data points collected through the Apple Heart and Movement Study. For the pregnancy prediction task, researchers studied data from 430 pregnancies across 385 people and compared it with over 25,000 control subjects who were not pregnant.
The study suggests that pregnancy leads to major behavioral changes that the AI can detect. These behavioral signals, combined with physiological data, give the AI enough insight to flag potential pregnancies earlier than traditional methods might.
What Else Can the AI Detect?
Pregnancy wasn’t the only condition the AI model tackled. Other predictions included:
- Diabetes: 82% accuracy
- Infections: 76% accuracy
- Injuries: 69% accuracy
While the study hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed and Apple hasn’t officially announced plans to roll it into products, this research shows the growing potential of wearable devices powered by AI.
Privacy Concerns Remain
Despite the promising tech, there's reason to be cautious. Period-tracking and fertility apps have a rocky history when it comes to data privacy. In 2023, the FTC penalized one such app, Premom, for selling user data without consent. And after the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned, concerns about personal reproductive data being misused only grew stronger.
To participate in Apple’s health studies, users must download the Apple Research app and give explicit consent. But skepticism remains. Women’s health data is sensitive, and privacy violations could have serious consequences depending on local laws.
Apple's Investment in Women’s Health
This isn’t Apple’s first foray into reproductive health. Since 2019, the Health app has offered menstrual tracking, and pregnancy tracking was added in late 2024. Clearly, Apple is committed to expanding its health tech ecosystem—but it will need to balance innovation with ironclad privacy protections to build user trust.