Apple Watch To The Rescue: Pregnant Woman Thanks Apple For Saving Her Unborn Child's Life

Apple Watch does it again. It has come to the rescue of a 33-week pregnant woman who was alerted by the Apple Watch about to potential crisis. She was informed by the smartwatch to seek medical help that not only saved her life but her unborn child’s as well.

Rachel Manalo, a paediatric cardiologist from California, credits her Apple watch for saving her and her baby’s life. While 33 weeks pregnant, Manalo sought the help of Apple Watch’s EKG function to monitor her heartbeat after experiencing frequent episodes of shortness of breath. She dismissed her symptoms as side effects of pregnancy at first until her Apple watch displayed an alarming heart rate of 150/minute, much above the normal range of 60-100. The EKG reflected an ‘inconclusive result’ prompting her to see a doctor.

Doctor Tina Nguyen from UCLA, Los Angeles diagnosed her with ventricular tachycardia, a condition where the heart's lower part struggles to function properly, leading to insufficient oxygen in the blood. Nguyen while reflecting on the case shared that such cardiovascular conditions can be fatal during pregnancy. The use of healthcare gadgets can be helpful as they provide primary data while stressing that patients must never interpret data on their own and consult doctors.

Speaking about Rachel Manalo’s condition, Tina Nguyen explained, “That type of heart issue, if not taken care of, can lead to a heart attack. And then you add that she was pregnant. We talked about everything. I said ‘So when did you start noticing this irregular heart rate, you know, when did you have symptoms’ And she said, ‘You know, my Apple Watch told me’.”

As per ABC News, Manalo while talking about the EKG feature said, “I would feel tired, short of breath. I remember sitting down with the patient and giving a diagnosis. And I felt dizzy just sitting in my chair like I was about to faint. I click the EKG function on my watch. And then you place your finger on the crown and lay your arm still on the table. And it takes 30 seconds.”

After the evaluation, Rachel underwent an emergency C-section at 34 weeks and gave birth to a healthy four-pound, five-ounce baby girl. Her condition was treated after the surgery.