NewKerala.com

India's AI Pregnancy Study Aims to Predict, Prevent Preterm Births

India is developing indigenous AI tools through the GARBH-INi initiative to enable the early prediction and prevention of preterm births. The program has enrolled 12,000 pregnant women, creating one of South Asia's largest pregnancy cohorts with a vast repository of biospecimens and ultrasound images. This data-driven approach integrates clinical epidemiology, biomarkers, and AI to create personalized prediction models suited to Indian populations. The initiative also includes a national biorepository and a data-sharing platform to support wider research and improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Key Points: India's AI Tools for Predicting Preterm Births

  • AI-driven pregnancy dating models
  • Microbiome-based predictors for preterm birth
  • Repository of 1.6M biospecimens
  • National biorepository and data-sharing platform
2 min read

India developing indigenous AI tools for early prediction of preterm births: MoS

India's GARBH-INi initiative uses AI on a cohort of 12,000 women to develop indigenous tools for early prediction of preterm birth.

"Such models and solutions can improve maternal and child health outcomes - Dr Jitendra Singh"

New Delhi, March 23

Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that India's largest pregnancy cohort study of 12,000 women under the GARBH‑INi initiative aims to develop indigenous, AI‑driven solutions to prevent preterm births.

Singh at an event here, said the study supports creation of AI-based pregnancy dating models tailored for Indian populations, identification of microbiome-based predictors of preterm birth, rapid diagnostic tools, and genetic markers for early risk assessment.

Such models and solutions can improve maternal and child health outcomes in the country and tackle preterm births, one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality as well morbidity in adulthood, he added.

The programme has enrolled about 12,000 pregnant women, one of South Asia's largest pregnancy cohorts and built a repository of over 1.6 million well‑characterised biospecimens and over one million ultrasound images to support research.

The minister noted that India carries a significant share of the global burden of preterm births, making it essential to develop solutions suited to Indian conditions.

The programme marks a comprehensive, data-driven approach integrating clinical epidemiology, multi-omics biomarkers, and artificial intelligence for personalised predictions, he said.

The initiative has also established a national biorepository and the GARBH-INi-DRISHTI data-sharing platform, enabling wider access for the research community and contributing to global scientific publications.

On the occasion, key partnerships and technology transfer initiatives were formalised, including transfer of microbiome-based biotherapeutics technology. Initiatives such as GARBH-INi are part of a larger national mission linking science with long-term nation-building, he noted.

India's bioeconomy grew from nearly $10 billion in 2014 to about $195 billion, the minister said, adding the country is now being recognised globally for its strengths in preventive and primary healthcare, supported by indigenous innovations.

Dr. V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, said that the next phase of the programme should focus on effectively utilising the tools, predictive models and platforms developed so far.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Finally, we are moving beyond just importing Western medical tech. A cohort of 12,000 women and over a million images is massive. This is real 'Make in India' for healthcare. The focus on preventive care is what will truly change outcomes.
R
Rohit P
Great initiative, but the real test is implementation. We have brilliant projects but often they stay in labs or major cities. How will this help an ASHA worker in a remote village? The tech transfer mentioned is key. Hope it's prioritized.
S
Sarah B
The scale of data collection here is impressive for any country, let alone a developing one. A biorepository and data-sharing platform will accelerate research globally. India is becoming a serious player in health tech innovation.
V
Vikram M
Tackling neonatal mortality with science and data is the way forward. The mention of microbiome-based predictors is fascinating. Our traditional knowledge often spoke about gut health; now modern science is proving it. Jai Vigyan!
K
Kavya N
This gives me hope. So many families suffer due to preterm complications. If AI can give even a week's early warning, it can save countless lives. The bioeconomy growth from $10B to $195B shows the sector's potential. Proud moment.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50