New Delhi: In households where pregnancy-related decisions are traditionally made by husbands or mothers-in-law, a WhatsApp-based artificial intelligence platform is beginning to alter who speaks and who decides about maternal health.
The initiative, e-SAATHI, powered by Nivi, delivers pregnancy and newborn care guidance directly to expectant and postpartum women, aiming to improve their access to timely medical care.
“What we have observed iis delays in care-seeking decision-making, often driven by expectant women’s limited autonomy to independently decide when and where to seek care ” said Dr. Sowmya Ramesh, Executive Director, Population Council Institute and Project Director, e-SAATHI.
“Around 68 per cent women do not make decisions themselves and we are trying to change that,” added Rubiya Bano, Project Coordinator, India.
Designed as a digital decision-support system for antenatal and postnatal care, the platform provides stage-specific, guideline-based information in English, Hindi, Assamese, Marathi and Kannada. Users can ask questions at any time and receive personalised responses, rather than relying solely on family advice or overstretched frontline workers.
More than 2.18 lakh women have been onboarded across India, with nearly 99,000 actively interacting with the chatbot.