18-year-old Ellen Kaphamtengo arrived at Area 25 health centre in Lilongwe with stomach pain, expecting routine care. Instead, AI-enabled fetal monitoring revealed her baby was dangerously small and in distress, leading to an emergency cesarean section that saved her child’s life.
The software, donated through a partnership between childbirth safety company PeriGen, Malawi’s health ministry, and Texas Children’s Hospital, has revolutionized care at the facility. In the three years since implementation, stillbirths and neonatal deaths have dropped by 82% — a crucial improvement in a country where 19 out of 1,000 babies die during delivery or in their first month.
The system provides continuous, real-time monitoring of vital signs, requiring less equipment and fewer skilled staff than traditional methods. While only 10% of the hospital’s staff can perform traditional electronic monitoring, most can use the AI software to detect problems early. This efficiency is particularly valuable given Malawi’s resource-constrained healthcare system.
Dr. Jeffrey Wilkinson, an obstetrician with Texas Children’s Hospital leading the program, told The Guardian, “The time around delivery is the most dangerous for mother and baby. You can prevent most deaths by making sure the baby is safe during the delivery process.”
At Area 25, which handles 8,000 deliveries annually, the technology’s success has created momentum for expansion. Dr. Chikondi Chiweza, head of maternal care, shared with The Guardian, “AI technology is being used in many fields, and saving babies’ lives should not be an exception. It can really bridge the gap in the quality of care that underserved populations can access.”
The hospital’s achievements have sparked discussions about implementing the system in other hospitals across Africa, offering hope for improved maternal care throughout the continent.
Read the full article by Caroline Kimeu from December 6, 2024 in The Guardian: How AI monitoring is cutting stillbirths and neonatal deaths in a clinic in Malawi
Learn more about the program in Malawi: Area 25 Health Centre – Improving the Lives of Mothers and Their Babies
Read this press release from PeriGen about the program: Texas Children’s Pavilion For Women Teams Up With PeriGen To Bring PeriWatch Vigilance® To Malawi
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