9 Key Findings From Apple Women’s Health Study [An Overview]
Here’s some key findings from the Apple Women’s Health Study which was published earlier this month…
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Study’s Key Takeaways
Here’s a summary of the the key findings from the Apple Women’s Health Study:
- Menstrual cycles are a vital sign that can provide important information about overall health.
- Persistently abnormal periods, PCOS, and endometrial hyperplasia and cancer are connected.
- Women with PCOS have a higher risk of developing endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer.
- Cycle Tracking on the iPhone and Apple Watch can help women monitor their menstrual cycles and receive period and fertile window predictions.
- The temperature-sensing capabilities in the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra can aid in family planning by estimating the likely day of ovulation.
- It’s important to talk to a healthcare provider earlier when experiencing persistent changes to menstrual cycles.
- The Apple Women’s Health Study is the first of its kind and aims to raise awareness of the importance of menstrual cycles as a vital sign.
- The study encourages anyone who has ever menstruated across the US to contribute to scientific research by enrolling via the Apple Research app.
- The study team hopes that their research can lead to new strategies to reduce disease risk and improve health across the lifespan.
Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch come with a myriad of sensors and scanning technologies to monitor your health and biometrics.
The Apple Watch, for instance, has some of the most advanced sensors ever fitted to a smartwatch, especially on the new Apple Watch Ultra.
And Apple is keen to demonstrate how iPhone and Apple Watch can be used to not only track menstrual cycles, but also spot trends specific to a women’s overall health and well being.
What is The Apple Women’s Health Study?
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, underscored the importance of paying attention to menstrual cycles and their connection to overall health.
The study aimed to advance the understanding of menstrual cycles and how they relate to various health conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), infertility, and menopausal transition.
The study was significant in its scope and scale because it invited anyone who had ever menstruated across the US to contribute to this research simply by using their iPhone.
Study Reveals Connection Between Menstrual Cycles and Health Conditions
Preliminary findings from the study revealed that persistently abnormal periods, PCOS, and endometrial hyperplasia and cancer were connected.
More awareness on menstrual cycle physiology and the impact of irregular periods and PCOS on uterine health is needed. This analysis highlights the importance of talking to a healthcare provider when menstruators are experiencing persistent changes to their period that span many months. Over time, we hope our research can lead to new strategies to reduce disease risk and improve health across the lifespan.
Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah, MS, Harvard Chan School’s assistant professor of Environmental Reproductive
Study Highlight Risks for Women with PCOS
Participants with PCOS had more than four times the risk of endometrial hyperplasia and more than 2.5 times the risk of uterine cancer.
The study encouraged people to use the Cycle Tracking feature available in the Health app on the iPhone and Apple Watch to monitor their menstrual cycle and receive period and fertile window predictions.
With iOS 16 and watchOS 9, Cycle Tracking can inform users if their logged cycle history from the previous six months shows a pattern of irregular periods, infrequent periods, prolonged periods, or persistent spotting. It’s important to know when these patterns occur, as they may be a sign of an underlying health condition. Users are also able to learn about the Cycle Deviation detected, and export the last 12 months of their cycle history as a PDF to share with their provider.
Apple
Apple Watch’s Temperature-Sensing Capabilities Aid Family Planning
The new temperature-sensing capabilities in the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra also gathered overnight wrist temperature data that could be used to estimate the likely day of ovulation after it had occurred.
Overall, the Apple Women’s Health Study was the first of its kind and aimed to raise awareness of the importance of menstrual cycles as a vital sign.
It highlighted the significance of paying attention to menstrual cycles and encouraged people to have conversations with their healthcare providers about cycle irregularity earlier.
Cycle Tracking is now available inside watchOS 9 and iOS 16. And if you’re thinking about getting an Apple Watch, check out our Apple Watch Ultra Review first – it covers everything you need to know.
