Oura is using its smart ring to do something pregnancy researchers have struggled with for decades: get data fast, from lots of people, without waiting years for results. And they think they might actually pull it off.
The New Age of Pregnancy Studies Could Be on Your Finger
For years, pregnancy research has crawled. Between finding participants, waiting for them to conceive, and following them through months or years of data collection, most studies struggle to keep pace. Meanwhile, health complications like preeclampsia remain dangerously under-researched, especially in the U.S., where maternal mortality rates are stubbornly high.
Oura is trying to fix that.
Instead of starting from scratch, the Finnish wearable tech company is turning to its 2.5 million users—many of whom were already pregnant while wearing the ring. That means thousands of biometric timelines, already recorded, are just waiting to be analyzed. No needles, no waiting rooms. Just permission and a few clicks.
A Study Built Backwards—And That’s the Point
Unlike traditional research that recruits participants and waits, Oura’s approach flips that model on its head. They’re starting with the data and working backward.
Patel says it best: “You’re looking at a study running several years. What we’re doing is completely flipping that model.”
Instead of enrolling pregnant people and watching things unfold over time, Oura and Scripps Research are identifying members who’ve already gone through pregnancy, then reaching out for consent to analyze their historical data.
All the biometric changes tracked—sleep, temperature, heart rate variability, stress patterns—are already there.
10,000 Participants, 30 Minutes of Time
The study aims to include 10,000 pregnant Oura members. It’s opt-in, quick, and doesn’t require participants to do much beyond answer a few questions and give permission. There’s a card in the Oura app that takes users to the MyDataHelps platform, where they can learn more, sign consent forms, and share pregnancy outcomes.
Total time commitment? Less than half an hour.
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The biometric data, combined with questionnaires and optional medical record links, will be used to understand how pregnancy changes the body—physically, emotionally, and behaviorally.
What Exactly Are They Hoping to Find?
Oura and Scripps want to pinpoint early signs of complications—especially conditions like preeclampsia, which remains a top cause of maternal and fetal death. The CDC estimates that preeclampsia contributes to over 70,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 fetal deaths globally every year.
In the U.S., Black women face a 60% higher rate of preeclampsia compared to white women.
This isn’t about generic health tracking. It’s about seeing things in real-time, at scale, and potentially making sense of subtle changes that no clinical study could pick up.
Here’s what makes this approach different:
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Real-world data: No controlled lab environments—just daily life tracked passively.
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Scale: Tens of thousands of potential data points, all collected naturally over time.
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Speed: Researchers aren’t waiting around for pregnancies to occur. They’ve already happened.
A Snapshot of What This Study Brings to the Table
Let’s compare the traditional method with Oura’s model:
| Feature | Traditional Study | Oura Ring Study |
|---|---|---|
| Participant recruitment | Months to years | Immediate (retrospective) |
| Data collection | Manual, clinic visits | Passive, 24/7 biometric |
| Study timeline | Several years | Potentially months |
| Sample size | Usually small | Tens of thousands possible |
| Inclusion of diverse data | Harder to achieve | Broader due to user base |
Pretty striking, right?
Private Sector Steps In as Federal Funds Dry Up
Federal investment in maternal health has taken a hit in recent years. Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Robin Wallace notes that cuts to the CDC and NIH have left researchers scrambling for support.
Wallace welcomed Oura’s initiative. “Any kind of innovative research that looks at maternal health in this country is critically important at this time,” she said.
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The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations—and outcomes are even worse for Black women. Studies like this could help change that, or at least shine a light on where the problems lie.
Not Everyone Can Afford a $299 Smart Ring
There’s no ignoring the elephant in the room. Oura rings aren’t cheap. They start at $299, and the monthly data subscription costs another $5.99, or $69.99 a year.
Wallace raised the concern: “New technology does not always mean equitable access to health care.”
That’s a valid point. If only a certain demographic can afford the tool, the data may skew. But some experts think wearables could eventually be covered like breast pumps or Lamaze classes.
Christina Farr, health-tech journalist and managing director at Manatt, believes that wearables could become “part of a patients’ insurance—versus largely an out-of-pocket expense.”
That could change the game.
So, What Happens Next?
Enrollment is already underway, though Oura hasn’t said how many people have signed up yet. But the infrastructure is there. And the appetite for data-driven answers in women’s health is growing fast.
Researchers are hopeful this new approach can crack open long-standing mysteries about pregnancy. Why do some women develop complications while others don’t? What are the earliest signs something might go wrong?
And, maybe most importantly: What have we missed all this time?
If the data is as rich as Patel claims—and if people are willing to share—it might just be the start of a whole new way to study one of the most fundamental human experiences.
