Use of Artificial Intelligence in Obstetrics: not quite ready for prime time

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is finding several applications in healthcare settings. The aim of our review is to report evidence about AI application in obstetrics. Through a narrative review of the literature, we described AI use in different obstetric areas: prenatal diagnosis, fetal heart monitoring, prediction and management of pregnancy-related complications (preeclampsia, preterm birth, gestational diabetes mellitus and placenta accreta spectrum), and labor. AI seems to be a promising tool to help clinicians in daily clinical activity. The main advantages that emerged from this review are related to the reduction of inter- and intra-operator variability, time reduction of procedures and improvement of overall diagnostic performance. However, nowadays, the diffusion of these systems in routine clinical practice raises several issues. Reported evidence are still very limited and further studies are needed to confirm clinical applicability of AI. Moreover, a better training of clinicians that are designed to use these systems should be ensured and evidence-based guidelines regarding this topic should be produced, in order to enhance the strengths of artificial systems and minimize their limits.