Garmin smartwatch user reports early pregnancy detection through heart metrics
A Garmin smartwatch user on the company's unofficial subreddit just reported an instance where their device detected physiological changes indicating pregnancy before the individuals themselves were aware. The user in question, u/kalechipsmoothie, noticed shifts in resting heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and body battery metrics days to weeks before taking positive pregnancy tests.
However, they are not alone - multiple other users also shared anecdotal evidence of their Garmin devices registering unusual heart data in advance of pregnancy confirmation. One user observed a steady increase in resting heart rate from a normal baseline near 54 beats per minute (bpm) to 80 bpm, raising suspicion and leading to a pregnancy test confirming the condition. Another user was gushing over the smartwatch's ability to pick up declines in HRV, which is often associated with physiological stress, also alerting them earlier than subjective symptoms.
The post also included a graph screenshot from the Garmin app showing trends in heart rate, HRV status, and body battery levels over weeks (see below). These visuals show rising heart rates, dropping HRV scores labeled as "unbalanced" or "low," and decreasing body battery values - which implies increased stress or decreased recovery states during early pregnancy stages.
For reference, heart rate and HRV are widely recognized indicators of autonomic nervous system function. Early pregnancy causes hormonal changes that affect cardiovascular dynamics, like increased heart rate and altered HRV. Garmin's body battery metric combines HR, HRV, stress, and activity data to estimate energy reserves - which was reported by users as decreasing significantly as pregnancies progressed. Interestingly, a pregnancy tracking feature already exists in the Garmin Connect app, which lets users log symptoms and track baby size.
However, please note that this evidence is purely anecdotal and community-based, and that Garmin hasn't issued any official statement(s) regarding the same.
