Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data are rapidly becoming game-changers in maternal healthcare, offering new ways to enhance patient outcomes and streamline care. Over the past eight years, a wealth of studies have begun to illuminate how data from electronic health records (EHRs), when combined with AI, can significantly reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
Back in 2013, a breakthrough study involving physician-scientists and CDC experts utilized large databases to create a predictive screening tool. This checklist of medical comorbidities could foresee complications during pregnancy. More recently, teams from Kaiser Permanente and the University of California, Berkeley, along with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, have advanced these efforts. They developed machine-learning algorithms that analyze EHR data to predict obstetric complications more accurately.
AI is poised to make a substantial impact in maternal health by enhancing the prediction and management of complications during pregnancy. Recent studies, such as those conducted by Kaiser Permanente and Massachusetts General Hospital, have successfully used machine learning algorithms to predict obstetric complications by analyzing patterns in electronic health records (EHRs). This predictive capability can be a game-changer in preemptively addressing potential risks.
For instance, Stanford University School of Medicine's pilot program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital utilized AI to monitor vital signs and predict health risks, ensuring timely interventions for conditions like hemorrhaging, which is a leading cause of maternal death
While the potential of AI and big data in improving maternal and neonatal health is clear, the deployment of these technologies must be inclusive. Addressing the digital divide and ensuring that women from all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access to these technologies is crucial. Partnerships between tech companies, governments, and healthcare providers are essential to develop and fund AI solutions that are accessible to all, especially in under-resourced communities.
Reference: Khan, M., Khurshid, M., Vatsa, M., Singh, R., Duggal, M., & Singh, K. (2022). On AI Approaches for Promoting Maternal and neonatal health in Low resource Settings: a review. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 880034.Chicago