Can health trackers help you manage menopause symptoms?
Technology companies like Oura, Apple, and Whoop are introducing new features to help women track menopause symptoms. These tools rely on user-reported data to provide insights, though their effectiveness and scientific utility remain a subject of debate.
Why it matters
As health-tech wearables expand into women's health, consumers are navigating the gap between marketing claims and actionable medical advice.
Tonya Kuxhausen began wearing an Oura ring in late 2021. A 55-year-old nurse in Minneapolis, she kept the band on her finger nearly all the time: during emergency-room shifts, overnight while she slept and everywhere in between.
She came to rely on it even more after she developed long Covid in 2022. A few years later, when her periods became erratic as she approached menopause, the ring’s alerts felt less helpful. “You better take it easy today,” Kuxhausen recalled the app warning, as if “something really awful’s going to happen.”
“I’m not dying,” she recalled thinking. Still, when Oura introduced a 22-question menopause survey in its app this May, Kuxhausen decided to give it a try. Oura is among a handful of technology companies that have turned their attention to women in midlife like Kuxhausen: Whoop and Apple also announced new menopause-related features this year.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in