Oura has partnered with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DoH) on a 24-month pilot study examining whether continuous wearable data can help predict spontaneous preterm birth.
Announced at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, Project CRADLE (Capturing Risk And Detecting Labor signals in Elevated-risk pregnancies) is the first research initiative under the organizations’ broader partnership exploring wearables and preventive health.
“For more than a decade, Oura has pioneered the science of what continuous physiological data can reveal about a person’s health,” said Oura CEO Tom Hale. “Project CRADLE shows what could be possible when a forward-thinking health system combines clinical excellence with accurate, continuous monitoring.”
The study will enroll women with high-risk pregnancies in the coming weeks. Participants will wear Oura rings from early pregnancy through delivery to track physiological data, including heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep, and activity, to identify potential signals of preterm labor. Researchers aim to determine whether these patterns can establish a clinically actionable threshold to guide treatment or preparation for neonatal care.
“In Abu Dhabi, we are building an intelligent health system of the future,” said H.E. Dr. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. “Continuous sensing enables a shift from reactive care to healthcare that anticipates risk, detects warning signs sooner, and enables faster, more precise and personalized intervention. Project CRADLE brings this approach to pregnancy and birth, one of the most pivotal moments in life, building the evidence to guide more timely care.”
