Collaboration with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center is the latest in ŌURA’s ongoing commitment to research on understudied populations
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ŌURA, maker of Oura Ring, the most trusted smart ring, today announced a first-of-its-kind research collaboration with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center focused on analyzing biobehavioral changes during pregnancy. The study, which will retrospectively analyze pregnancies that occurred in the last three years, will investigate the physiological changes associated with various aspects of pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications, advancing public understanding and potential warning signs of conditions such as postpartum depression, risk for miscarriage, or preterm labor.
Simultaneously, ŌURA introduced a significant update to its Readiness Score, which now takes into account the biometric changes that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. This comprehensive algorithm improvement provides cycling members with a more accurate representation of Readiness by recognizing naturally occurring fluctuations rather than identifying them as signs of strain.
“Scientific discovery is a key pillar of our work at ŌURA,” said Shyamal Patel, senior vice president of science 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. Updating our Readiness Score to consider women’s cycles is the perfect example of this, and our collaboration with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center represents another important step toward fulfilling our mission. This study will significantly contribute to improving maternal health outcomes and deepen our understanding of the short- and long-term impacts of pregnancy on a mother’s health.”
Unlocking New Health Insights through Innovative Solutions
The large-scale research effort will recruit 10,000 participants through the Oura App who have experienced pregnancy while wearing Oura Ring. Participants can enroll in the study through the Oura App and will contribute by providing valuable data through the Oura Ring, completing surveys, and integrating their electronic health records if they choose. The study 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. The approach of this research is aligned with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center’s mission to reach underrepresented populations and re-engineer clinical trials to be more accessible and scalable.
The Scripps Research Digital Trials Center is at the forefront of pioneering “site-less” clinical trials that leverage rapidly evolving digital health technologies. By focusing on the participant experience and moving away from traditional site-centric trials, Scripps Research can extend the reach of critical research beyond geographic limitations to include understudied groups. This groundbreaking work spans various health fields, including infectious diseases, maternal health, precision nutrition, precision medicine, heart health, and sleep medicine.
“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,” said Ed Ramos, co-founder of the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center and principal investigator of the study. “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.”
As the study progresses, Scripps Research and ŌURA aim to harness the power of wearable technology to bring forward new insights and innovations that could significantly impact maternal health and wellness.
New Oura Ring Readiness Score Algorithm Incorporates Cycle-related Hormonal Fluctuations
Previous research using Oura Ring has revealed how cycle-related hormonal fluctuations can impact women’s physiology and daily lives. Now, Oura’s Readiness Score algorithm takes into account the biometric changes that each individual experiences during their cycle, offering a more accurate assessment of daily well-being. With this update, 35 percent of cycling members will see no impact on their Readiness Score during their luteal phase, the phase of the menstrual cycle when many women experience increased heart rate and temperature and decreased heart rate variability, which for non-cycling individuals can be signs of strain. For members who do see an impact, only three percent of days will show a lower Readiness Score, representing an 81 percent decrease in days that members see their cycle impact their Readiness Scores.
“The menstrual cycle has a profound impact on women’s health and overall well-being, which is why we’re dedicated to ensuring our app features accurately reflect the latest scientific understanding of the physiological changes women experience,” said Holly Shelton, chief product officer at Oura. “By grounding our product in rigorous research, we’re empowering women to confidently navigate their unique cycles with the most accurate and personalized information possible.”
Addressing Gaps in Menstrual Cycle Research
The collaboration with Scripps is just the latest in Oura’s support of women’s health research. An ongoing study led by Stanford University School of Medicine Professors Engelhardt and Snyder is currently using Oura Rings to better understand the physiology of the menstrual cycles of underrepresented groups in a research effort titled “Study on Typically Ignored Groups of Menstruating Adults” (STIGMA). This research unlocks new pathways for addressing disparities in reproductive health among underrepresented groups such as Black women and breastfeeding mothers. These groups face barriers to effectively using menstrual cycle data from wearable devices to understand overall health and to know when it is time to see a clinician when irregularities arise.
For more information on Oura’s collaboration with Scripps Research Digital Trials Center, visit here.
About ŌURA:
ŌURA delivers personalized health data, insights, and daily guidance with Oura Ring, the leading smart ring that helps you live healthier, longer. Guided by a mission of changing the healthcare paradigm from sick care to preventative health, ŌURA makes wellness and recovery a daily practice through sleep, activity, readiness, stress, resilience, women’s health, and heart health. Millions of Oura Members around the world use Oura Ring as a personalized health companion that meets them where they are.
ŌURA is building the most scientifically validated wearable; the lightweight and comfortable Oura Ring is validated against medical gold standards and driven by continuous monitoring of 50+ individual health and wellness biometrics and insights. Thousands of teams, research organizations, and concierge medical practices manage the health of their populations with ŌURA, and its ecosystem includes 800+ partners across women’s health, metabolic health, fitness, behavioral health, and more. ŌURA was founded in 2013 in Finland and has offices in Oulu, Helsinki, San Francisco, and San Diego. For more information, please visit http://ouraring.com/ and connect with ŌURA on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Oura Ring is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, monitor, or prevent medical conditions/illnesses.
Contacts
Kristin Messina, ŌURA
press@ouraring.com
