HOW AI IS REVOLUTIONISING MODERN OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

AI is increasingly being used in gynaecology for various applications such as diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care, but while the potential is vast and exciting, safeguards must remain in place, say doctors

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The use of AI in medicine has increasingly been heralded as promising change, one that is expected to make diagnosis faster, seamlessly integrate a patient's medical records across systems, read and decode images and lab results, help in medical modelling and even perhaps help surgeons.

How is this happening?

AI is increasingly being used in gynaecology for various applications such as diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care, says Abha Majumdar, director and head of Centre of IVF and Human Reproduction at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. "Currently, AI-powered tools are being used for tasks such aa image analysis, predictive modelling, and personalised medicine. In the next 5-10 years, we can expect AI to become even more integral to gynaecology, with potential applications in areas including robotic-assisted surgery, fertility treatment optimisation, and menopause management."

Sunita Tendulwadkar, president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India, explains that AI has become like a trusty assistant. "AI is the stethoscope of the 21st century," she says. Used wisely, she adds, it can allow doctors to deliver safer, more personalised women's healthcare, from city hospitals to the last tribal hamlet. She notes however, that "while it amplifies our senses, it can never replace the mind or the heart of the physician".

The potential of AI-based Electronic Medical Records to transform healthcare delivery in India

AI's applications

In one generation, says Dr. Tendulwadkar, doctors have moved from paper charts to algorithms that predict complications before they happen. Today, an AI model built from routine antenatal data can warn doctors of the risk of pre-eclampsia or postpartum haemorrhage weeks earlier than the old scoring systems, she explains.