OURA and Scripps aim to shed new light on pregnancy changes

Smart ring maker OURA and a global research body are collaborating to gain a greater understanding of  behavioural changes during pregnancy.

OURA is collaborating with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center and aims to include 10,000 users in its new study.

It will retrospectively analyse pregnancies that occurred in the last three years, investigating the physiological changes associated with various aspects of pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications.

It’s aim is to advance public understanding and potential warning signs of conditions such as postpartum depression, risk for miscarriage, or preterm labour.

Shyamal Patel, senior vice president of science at OURA, said: “Scientific discovery is a key pillar of our work at ŌURA. It enables us to translate cutting-edge research into meaningful health insights and guidance that benefit both our members and the broader scientific community.”

The study will recruit 10,000 participants through the OURA app who have experienced pregnancy while wearing the smart ring.

It will consider all pregnancy outcomes as eligible participants, allowing for comprehensive insights into the wide range of experiences and challenges that individuals face during pregnancy.

This is aligned to Scripps’mission to reach underrepresented populations and re-engineer clinical trials to be “more accessible and scalable”.

Ed Ramos, co-founder of the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center and principal investigator of the study, said: “Wearable technologies have the potential to transform our knowledge of maternal health through continuous, real-world insights into the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy.

“Partnering with Oura on this initiative represents a crucial step in expanding the scope of digital health research to bridge critical gaps in pregnancy health research—especially for populations historically underrepresented in clinical studies.”

In December, OURA’s valuation hit US$5.2bn after a US$200m fundraising round.