Dr Stuart Lavery, consultant of reproductive medicine at University College Hospital in London, said: “People are understandably using this technology to try to get a greater understanding, and to try and pick up things as early as possible because it has such a profound impact on your life if you’re planning a pregnancy.”
However, “we might be running before we can walk,” he cautioned.
“We probably need a lot more data on the reliability, we need a lot more research… otherwise what happens is your levels of anxiety will just skyrocket,” he said.
“I have no doubt that more people will be using technology, an app-based approach or a wearable-based approach, to try and pick up these things. But I think it should come with quite a big health warning about how much we can rely on them for accuracy.”
When asked about the anxiety women reported feeling early in their pregnancy as a result of checking their ring data, Dr Chris Curry, Oura’s clinical director of women’s health, told BBC News: “With or without biometric tracking, pregnancy can be an uncertain time where many women, particularly those pregnant for the first time, are in the dark about the range of what’s normal.”
She added that if women feel overwhelmed, the company “encourages members to take a break from the app experience, whilst Oura Ring continues to collect data and gather insights”, adding: “The ring is a support tool, not a replacement for your care team.”
Ravika sadly did miscarry. She’s hoping to start trying to conceive again soon – and when she does, her experience has made her rethink wearing her tracker again.
“I didn’t really see myself as being an anxious person, but… I think going forward if it came to a point where I had an inkling that I was pregnant and my stats were low, as soon as that positive pregnancy test was there, I do think it would be the best thing for me to take the ring off.”
