Apple is expanding its Health app with menopause and perimenopause support, bringing new Cycle Tracking notifications, symptom logging, and educational resources to iPhone and Apple Watch users through iOS 27 and watchOS 27.
TL;DR
- Apple’s Health app will now support menopause and perimenopause within Cycle Tracking.
- Users aged 40 and above may receive notifications when logged cycle patterns suggest perimenopause.
- The update also adds symptom tracking and educational resources, though Apple clarifies that the feature is not meant to diagnose or replace medical care.
Apple is taking a more direct step into women’s health with a new update to the Health app, announced during WWDC 2026. The company is adding menopause and perimenopause support to its existing Cycle Tracking feature, expanding beyond period and fertility-related tracking into a life stage that has historically been underserved by mainstream consumer health tools.
The new feature will allow Cycle Tracking in the Health app to provide notifications when a user’s logged cycle patterns are suggestive of perimenopause. Apple says users will also be able to track related symptoms and access educational resources from within the app.
The feature is also coming to Apple Watch through watchOS 27, where Apple describes it as part of expanded menstrual health support. The update will sit alongside new fitness insights, improved run tracking, Workout Buddy upgrades, and the broader arrival of Siri AI on Apple Watch.
According to Apple’s iOS 27 preview notes, Cycle deviation notifications that include perimenopause are meant for users aged 40 and above. Apple also clearly states that Cycle Tracking should not be used for birth control or to diagnose a health condition, and that these notifications are based solely on logged cycle history.
This distinction matters because perimenopause can be complex. The World Health Organization notes that perimenopause usually begins with changes in the menstrual cycle, can last several years, and may affect physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. Menopause itself is generally recognized after 12 consecutive months without menstruation, where there is no other obvious physiological or pathological cause.
What Did Apple Say?
Apple’s Stacey Ford, vice president of OS Product Management, said users will be able to receive notifications when their cycle patterns are suggestive of perimenopause, according to TechCrunch. Ford also said the feature will help users log symptoms and access educational information, so they can be better prepared to speak with a doctor.
That framing positions the feature as a conversation starter rather than a clinical tool. In practice, it could help users identify cycle changes, collect symptom history, and bring more structured information to healthcare appointments.
CNET also reported that the update was announced at WWDC 2026 and will bring support for both menopause and perimenopause to Apple’s Health app. The report aligns with Apple’s own iOS and watchOS documentation.
The move builds on Apple’s existing women’s health push. TechCrunch noted that Apple began pushing deeper into women’s health in 2019, when it added Cycle Tracking to Apple Watch and iOS. The new update now expands that feature into another major phase of reproductive health.
Why Does It Matter?
For Apple, the update strengthens the Health app’s role as a personal wellness hub across iPhone and Apple Watch. It also arrives as digital health companies focused on menopause and perimenopause are gaining investor attention, including Midi Health, which raised $100 million in Series D funding earlier this year and reached a $1 billion valuation, according to TechCrunch.
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However, Apple’s own caveats are important. The Health app can surface cycle pattern changes and support symptom tracking, but it cannot replace a clinician’s diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment plan. That balance may define how useful and trusted the feature becomes when iOS 27 and watchOS 27 roll out this fall.
