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In a move that's drawing worldwide attention, Apple has released a revolutionary update to the Apple Watch. The new feature, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), promises to detect early signs of pregnancy with an impressive 92% of accuracy, using the sensors already present in the latest models of the watch. This innovation not only opens the door to a new type of women's health monitoring but also raises important questions about privacy, accessibility, and the future of wearable technology.
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But how exactly does this new feature work? Is it truly reliable? And what does this mean for the future of digital health? Below, we explain everything you need to know about this buzz-inducing update.
An anticipatory technology: Apple Watch and early pregnancy detection
Over the years, the Apple Watch has evolved from a luxury accessory to a true personal health monitor. With sensors that track heart rate, body temperature, blood oxygenation, sleep quality, and even hormonal fluctuations, the watch has become a kind of "laboratory on your wrist."
Now, with the advancement of AI, all this data is being used even more intelligently. The new feature—available for Apple Watch Series 8 and later, with the updated watchOS—combines hundreds of physiological variables to detect early signs of pregnancy even before a traditional drugstore test.
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According to Apple, the feature was trained using millions of anonymized data from women around the world. With this, the AI was able to identify consistent patterns in female body behavior in the first weeks after conception, even before missed periods.
How does it work in practice?
The process is simple, automatic and completely optional.
When you activate the new feature called “Reproductive Status Indicator” in the Health app, Apple Watch starts to analyze data such as:
- Basal body temperature variations
- Sleep patterns and quality of rest
- Changes in resting heart rate
- Hormonal fluctuations inferred from recorded menstrual cycles
- Stress levels and physical activity
With this data, the system uses AI predictive models to accurately identify whether a pregnancy is possible. The result appears discreetly in the app, as a light notification: "Hormonal changes consistent with early signs of pregnancy have been detected. Would you like to confirm with an official test?"
It's important to note that this feature is not a substitute for clinical tests or medical exams, but rather serves as an early warning that can be extremely helpful—especially for women with irregular cycles or who are trying to conceive.
Why is 92% accuracy so significant?
Detecting pregnancy in the first few days or weeks is extremely challenging, even with biochemical tests. Pharmacy tests, for example, only work after significant production of the hCG hormone, which can take up to two weeks after conception.
Meanwhile, Apple Watch's artificial intelligence acts as a "silent observer," noticing subtle changes that traditional methods miss. A steady increase in basal body temperature, for example, could indicate that the body is adapting to the presence of an embryo.
According to Apple, the 92%'s accuracy has been validated in internal studies involving more than 150,000 women and clinical reviews in partnership with universities in the US and Europe. In many cases, the Apple Watch alerted users to a possible pregnancy up to six days before a positive home pregnancy test.
Who can use it? And how to activate it?
To use the function, you must have:
- Apple Watch Series 8, Ultra, or newer models
- iPhone updated with iOS 18 or later
- Health App configured with menstrual data and basic body history
- Consent activated for use of sensitive data
Apple guarantees that all data is stored privately and encrypted on the device, without being sent to the cloud without the user's express authorization.
Additionally, you can deactivate the function at any time or prevent certain information from being taken into account by the AI system.
Emotional and social implications
Despite the innovation's optimistic tone, mental health and technology experts are already warning: the emotional impact of a potential "false positive" can be significant. Apple, aware of this, has added warning messages and encouraged clinical follow-up in the event of a detection.
There's also a positive side. Women trying to conceive report a sense of greater control and security when they can monitor their bodies more accurately. For those facing fertility challenges, this technology can be a valuable ally on their journey.
What do doctors say?
The medical community has received the new development with caution, but interest. Obstetricians and gynecologists recognize the tool's potential as an ally in the early identification of reproductive changes, as long as it is used responsibly.
"The Apple Watch can function as an extension of the doctor's office," explains Dr. Mariana Xavier, a gynecologist and digital health researcher. "But it's crucial that women don't replace lab tests and doctor's appointments with AI notifications. Technology is an ally, not a diagnosis."
What about privacy?
This has been one of the most discussed topics since the update was announced. Apple reinforced its commitment to sensitive data privacy, noting that everything is processed on the device itself with end-to-end encryption. No reproductive data is shared with third parties or used for commercial purposes.
Even so, the company also encourages users to review their privacy settings and consider the type of information they want to share, especially in sensitive contexts such as pregnancy, fertility attempts, or pregnancy loss.
A new step towards digital women's health
The arrival of this feature marks an important moment in the history of wearable technology. For too long, women's health has been neglected or treated with generic tools. Now, with artificial intelligence combined with medical science, it's possible to deliver more personalized, anticipated, and respectful solutions tailored to each woman's needs.
Experts believe this feature is just the beginning. In the future, the Apple Watch could detect risks of miscarriage, complex hormonal changes, or even track pregnancy progress in real time—all based on passive data and AI.
Conclusion: progress or exaggeration?
The new Apple Watch update represents a bold advancement at the intersection of technology, health, and women's well-being. The ability to detect pregnancy signs so early—and with such high accuracy—is impressive, but it also requires responsible use.
It's a powerful tool for those seeking greater body awareness, trying to get pregnant, or simply wanting to better understand their own body. But, like all health technology, it should be used as a complement to, not a replacement for, traditional medicine.
If used with caution and awareness, this update has everything it needs to be a game-changer in the way women manage their reproductive health — right from their wrist, with just one click.
