Taking on the maternal health crisis with ultrasound innovation
- By Philips
- Featuring
- March 04 2025
- 2 min read
Every day, nearly 800 around the world die from preventable complications of childbirth. In developing countries and care deserts, the issue is fueled by poor access to life-saving providers and technology. That’s why Philips is helping provide point-of-care (POC) support in the places that need it most with advancements in handheld, portable ultrasound and mobile applications.
At-a-glance:
- AI-enabled ultrasound reduces the barriers to technology and trained providers
- Pilot programs in Kenya have shown positive results, providing mothers more insight into their pregnancies
- This point-of-care ultrasound and mobile apps from Philips are connecting American mothers to better care opportunities
With recent funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Philips has been able to accelerate the deployment of AI-enabled algorithms for Philips Lumify. These algorithms have the ability to analyze six parameters for high-risk pregnancy, helping a wide range of healthcare providers identify abnormalities and provide better care for expectant mothers.
With 95% of maternal deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries, areas like sub-Saharan Africa are most critical with the highest potential for impact. In its first pilot in collaboration with Aga Khan University, Philips helped equip health centers and providers in rural Kenya with these tools. With user-friendly AI algorithms that help simplify operation of ultrasound technology, midwives in Kenya were able to reduce training times to hours rather than weeks. The algorithms helped midwives identify potential issues that could then be elevated to a specialist for further treatment.
With more people able to use ultrasound in more environments, Lumify was able to effectively reduce barriers to care while giving mothers more confidence in their pregnancies. As this project continues to collect and interpret data, Philips and Aga Khan University aim to reach 200,000 people in need of maternal care.
We are introducing a new way of ultrasound scanning where midwives and non-expert users are guided by the algorithm to give them access to critical information they need most when triaging pregnant women in underserved areas, and rural settings.
Mr. Matthijs Groot Wassink
General Manager for Point of Care and Obstetric Ultrasound
Philips
Expanding Access at Home
But the maternal health crisis is not exclusive to developing countries; in the U.S., which has the highest infant mortality rate of any developed nation, about 2 million women live in maternal care deserts.
To help address the issue, Philips offers complete digital solutions for use across the maternal healthcare journey. Philips Pregnancy+ app provides end to end pregnancy support, including expert advice, daily articles, care tips and interactive 3D models. The app reaches almost half of all first-time pregnant mothers, and in Michigan, where the Department of Health has expanded its Pregnancy+ program, nearly 80% of users say app has helped them learn more about locally available maternal health resources.
Combined with POC ultrasound technology like Philips Lumify, these solutions have the potential to change how moms at home and abroad experience healthcare. By expanding adoption, we can reach more communities around the world.
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Disclaimer
Results are specific to the institution where they were obtained and may not reflect the results achievable at other institutions. Results in other cases may vary.