In collaboration with the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) as part of the "Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes - DBT India Initiative" (GARBH-Ini) [1] program, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have engineered the first India-specific artificial intelligence (AI) model tailored for precisely determining foetal age during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy [2].

Figure 1. Fetal Development.

Figure 1 shows the fetal development. Named "Garbhini-GA2," this pioneering late-trimester Gestational Age (GA) estimation model is the product of utilizing Indian population data for development and validation, effectively addressing the inaccuracies associated with applying Western-derived formulas in later stages of pregnancy due to foetal growth variations within the Indian demographic. By significantly reducing error rates, Garbhini-GA2 [2] holds promise in advancing obstetric and neonatal care, thereby potentially mitigating maternal and infant mortality rates in India.

Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, Rajesh Gokhale, commended the research, highlighting the significance of GARBH-Ini as a flagship DBT program and the commendable outcome of developing population-specific GA estimation models, which are currently undergoing nationwide validation [1].

Led by Himanshu Sinha, Associate Professor at the Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, in collaboration with Shinjini Bhatnagar, Principal Investigator of the GARBH-Ini program and Distinguished Professor at THSTI, the study's results were published in the esteemed international peer-reviewed journal Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia.

The Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, hosts THSTI, which serves as a pivotal institution facilitating the translation of fundamental discoveries into clinical research capacity, expediting the transition of benchside findings to patient care.

Emphasizing the study's significance, Sinha, who also serves as Coordinator at the Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine, IIT Madras, highlighted the institution's commitment to addressing healthcare challenges at the grassroots level, particularly in the realm of public health enhancement in India. Through collaboration with clinical partners like THSTI, IIT Madras leverages advanced data science and AI/ML techniques to develop predictive tools for adverse birth outcomes, with the foundational step being the development of accurate GA models outperforming those derived from Western populations.

Source: IIT Madras

References:

1. https://www.deccanherald.com/science/iit-madras-researchers-develop-first-india-specific-ai-model-to-determine-age-of-foetus-2910363
2. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/iit-madras-thsti-faridabad-researchers-develop-the-first-india-specific-ai-model-to-determine-the-age-of-the-foetus/articleshow/108020579.cms

Cite this article:

Hana M (2024), IIT Madras Develops India-Specific AI Model for Foetal Age Determination, AnaTechmaz, pp. 378