Revolutionizing Fertility Care: 5 Ways AI Transforms Patient Support

In a recent seminar organized by the European Fertility Society, Tilly's founder, Jenny Ann Johnson, shared insights on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient care during fertility treatment.

In the seminar, hosted by Prof. Johnny Awwad, at Sidra Medicine & Research Center, Jenny Ann together with Cecilie Hvidberg Jakobsen, Founder and CEO of Wawa fertility and Alina Latus, Founder of the Hope App, explored the various applications of AI in fertility care, shedding light on how this technology can revolutionize the medical and emotional aspects of infertility treatment.

1. AI Optimization of Fertility Treatment

AI's ability to analyze large datasets presents a groundbreaking opportunity to optimize the medical side of fertility treatment. For a medical professional this means that instead of asking a few trusted colleagues when you come across a tricky case - you can ask thousands of colleagues. By processing patient data from thousands or even millions of patients, including medical history, genetic markers, hormonal levels, and lifestyle factors, AI can assist in accelerating new findings and personalizing treatment plans, significantly improving success rates. For instance, AI algorithms can enhance embryo selection in IVF procedures, leading to more successful outcomes.

2. Personalized Emotional Support with AI

AI's role extends beyond medical optimization to personalized emotional support. Through analyzing user data, AI algorithms can deliver tailored content and support individuals in coping with the emotional challenges of infertility. In addition, by freeing up time for medical professionals through streamlined processes, AI enables medical professionals to focus on patient relationships, ensuring a more empathetic and personalized treatment journey.

3. 24/7 Accessible Self-Help with AI

AI-powered chatbots offer accessible self-help options, complementing traditional therapy and providing immediate support. Studies have highlighted the beneficial impact of chatbots in therapy, making emotional and mental support available 24/7. This digital support ensures that patients feel acknowledged and supported throughout their fertility journey.

4. AI Complements, Not Replaces, Human Connection

While AI provides personalized support, it cannot replace the human connection and expertise of medical professionals - in the end it still has to be the medical professional that makes the decisions together with the patient. AI should be viewed as a complementary resource. Prof. Johnny Awwad emphasized the importance of maintaining human connection in fertility care, with AI assisting medical providers in obtaining actionable data and spending more quality time with patients.

5. Addressing Risks of AI in Infertility Treatment

AI's ability to provide personalized predictions introduces a potential risk of creating a false sense of certainty. Patients need to be educated about statistics and risks associated with fertility treatments. Despite high success rates, there is always a chance of failure, and patients should be informed that infertility is not their fault. Balancing hope with realism is crucial for managing expectations and providing comprehensive support.

Conclusion:

As AI continues to evolve in the realm of fertility care, it holds great promise for optimizing medical treatment and delivering better, more personalized emotional support. At the same time, it is essential to keep in mind some of the inherent limitations of AI, and maintain human connection to ensure patient-centred infertility care.

For anyone interested in learning more about how AI may impact patient care during fertility treatment, the full seminar has been made available to watch here.