IIT Madras and THSTI develops Garbhini-GA2, An AI based Model To Determine Foetus Age (Image: Pixabay)
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, have created the first artificial intelligence (AI) model specifically for India that can accurately determine the age of a foetus in a pregnant woman in the second and third trimesters.
The development took place as a part of the “Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes – DBT India Initiative” (GARBH-Ini) program.
This late-trimester GA estimation model, known as “Garbhini-GA2,” is the first to be created and verified with Indian population data. Currently, a formula created for the Western population is used to calculate a foetus” age, or “Gestational Age,” or GA. Because of differences in the growth of the foetus among Indian populations, they are likely to be inaccurate when used later in pregnancy.
In a breakthrough achievement that could be of help in reducing the #maternal and #infant #mortality rates in India, @iitmadras & @THSTIFaridabad researchers have developed the first India-specific #AI model to determine the #age of the #foetus.#SDG3#GoodHealthAndWellBeing pic.twitter.com/okzgPsvW2E
— IIT Madras (@iitmadras) February 26, 2024
Precise “Gestational Age” (GA) is essential for deciding on exact delivery dates and providing pregnant patients with the proper care. This is a breakthrough achievement that by enhancing the care provided by obstetricians and neonatologists, could be of help in reducing both the maternal and the infant mortality rates in India. As per IIT Madras, the recently created “Garbhini-GA2” reduces error by nearly three times and accurately calculates the age of a foetus for the Indian population.
The research was led by Dr. Himanshu Sinha, Associate Professor, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, and Dr Shinjini Bhatnagar, the Principal Investigator of GARBH-Ini program who is a distinguished professor at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI).
The findings are published in the prestigious international peer-reviewed journal Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia.
Applauding this research, Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, said GARBH-Ini is a flagship program of DBT with commendable outcomes.
Pregnancy-based birth weight is a commonly utilized indicator of fetal growth. While most people agree that there should be separate norms for men and women. This AI-based model will prove to be a breakthrough in this direction by bringing neonatal deaths to a lower rate and improving the country’s SDG commitments.
According to the Registrar General of India (RGI) Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletin, the national infant mortality rate (IMR) decreased from 37 per 1,000 live births in 2015 to 30 per 1,000 live births in 2019. The national maternal mortality rate (MMR) decreased from 8.1 in 2015–17 to 7.3 in 2016–18 as per the estimates.
