You now have another reason to use your Apple Watch’s ECG feature

Most of us wear an Apple Watch to track our steps and respond to texts on the go, ignoring the more advanced features — but sometimes, those features could save your life. Rachel Manolo says the Apple Watch helped keep both her and her unborn child safe.

Manolo was around 18 weeks pregnant when her symptoms first started: a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, fatigue. After several weeks of this, she decided to use the ECG function on her Apple Watch. It gave her an inconclusive result, but she reported a heartbeat of more than 150 beats per minute (bpm) for more than 40 minutes.

For reference, a normal heart rate is typically between 60bpm and 100bpm. Though the app could not tell her specifically what was wrong, it did suggest she see a doctor. Manolo was diagnosed with a condition called ventricular tachycardia, a malfunction of the lower part of the heart.

Any heart problem is concerning, but it becomes even more so during pregnancy. Manolo’s doctor told ABC News San Diego, “That type of heart issue, if not taken care of, can lead to a heart attack.”

Thankfully, that didn’t happen, and we’re happy to report that Manolo went on to have a cesarean section and gave birth to a healthy, 4-pound, 5-ounce baby girl. Her daughter is now two years old, while Manolo has since had surgery to address the tachycardia.

Would the situation have ended in tragedy without the Apple Watch? No one can say for sure, but its ability to detect heart rate and perform an EKG might have helped prevent more serious health issues down the line. This isn’t the first time the Apple Watch has come through in an emergency, either.

Back in 2018, a 32-year-old man suffered a ruptured ulcer that resulted in massive blood loss. Before all of the effects set in, his Apple Watch alerted him to his abnormally high heart rate and suggested he seek medical attention. Just last year, a woman used her Apple Watch to text for help after someone broke into her home. Her phone was out of reach, but thanks to the Apple Watch, she could still reach people.

Perhaps the most impressive story is from earlier this year. A woman started to feel disoriented, but didn’t know why. She was able to use the SOS feature on her watch to call for help before she passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. As an odorless, colorless gas, carbon monoxide is responsible for more than 50,000 hospital visits per year.

The Apple Watch isn’t a medical device, but its more advanced features are more than just a gimmick. They can help in many ways. The ECG feature is available on Apple Watch Series 4 and later models, with the exception of the SE lineup.