Pregnant women often face maternal health complications that end up taking their life. This unfortunate reality seems more common among black women, particularly in the United States.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is about three times more than the case of White and Hispanic women.
The data simply translates that hundreds of women die from maternal complications every year. With AI technology, some of these causes could have been prevented, and the rate of maternal deaths reduced in the United States and beyond.
How AI Could Be Used to Reduce Maternal Deaths
AI technology could help in maternal health care in a number of ways. Firstly, we’ve seen the technology employed in predicting different the risk of health issues. Thus, AI can be harnessed in the same vein to predict and analyse patient data to identify pregnant mothers who are at risk for maternal-related complications.
With the advances in AI, the technology is also being plugged to measure the risk of premature birth, including prenatal and postpartum risks that mothers and their babies may face. AI can also tell how certain social factors can impact health outcomes, such as poor transportation to and from the doctor.
FDA Approves AI-Powered Ultrasound Scanner for Prenatal Care
In August, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an AI-powered scanner that revolutionizes prenatal care with enhanced imaging and early detection of birth defects.
Known as Sonio Detect, the ultrasound scanning technology was launched by a Paris-based femtech company Sonio to serve as a high-tech assistant for maternity care professionals.
During the trial of the technology, it analyzed over 70,000 ultrasound images and demonstrated an impressive accuracy rate of 95%, successfully identifying over 300 potential prenatal syndromes and anomalies, Cryptopolitan reported.
These are some of the ways AI technology is helping to improve the maternal healthcare system. With more innovation and adoption of AI, more women could be saved from preventable maternal complications that could steal their lives.
