A team of researchers has developed a new way to spot signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to childbirth using artificial intelligence (AI). This condition, known as childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD), can affect millions of people worldwide who have given birth each year.
Traditionally, diagnosing CB-PTSD involves time-consuming and expensive evaluations by doctors. However, this new AI program can quickly analyze short stories about childbirth experiences shared by patients. By studying these narratives, the AI can identify those likely to have CB-PTSD.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), suggests that this AI screening method could help identify many more at-risk individuals, including those from diverse backgrounds. This is important because untreated CB-PTSD can impact a person’s ability to breastfeed, bond with their baby, and even affect their mental health.
The researchers trained the AI using data from over 1,200 postpartum individuals who completed a questionnaire about their childbirth experience. The AI then analyzed their short stories, accurately identifying those likely to have CB-PTSD based on their questionnaire responses.
The team behind this innovation believes it could make diagnosing CB-PTSD more accessible, especially for those who face socioeconomic, racial, or ethnic disparities in healthcare.
The study was led by Dr. Sharon Dekel from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, with Dr. Alon Bartal from Bar Ilan University in Israel also contributing. Funding for the research was provided by the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
Source: News-medical
