Women’s Health: AI as a Bridge or a Barrier?

Currently, around 400 million people in low- and middle-income countries lack access to essential healthcare. To address this gap, an additional 18 million healthcare workers will be needed by 2030. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to play a vital role by supporting the sharing of medical knowledge and providing initial assessments, thereby easing the burden on healthcare professionals and helping to bridge gaps in access to care.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, the chatbot “Nurse Nisa” was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a joint project by Ipas and Dimagi. The AI is designed to answer frequently asked questions about contraception and the safe use of medication for abortion. “Nurse Nisa” is available via WhatsApp, programmed in English, French, and Swahili, and aims to break down barriers and make information more accessible. The project is particularly targeted at women who face limited access to healthcare facilities due to infrastructural constraints.

In recent years, the ability of machines to convey knowledge in a human-like way has not only attracted considerable attention but is also beginning to fundamentally reshape our relationship with technology. In the field of healthcare, too, AI has the potential to drive significant progress: it can support and accelerate diagnoses, detect patterns and connections at an earlier stage, and make processes more efficient. The benefits are substantial – but what about the risks?

In medicine, sensitive patient information is continuously collected and processed and is subject to strict data protection regulations. In the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), this includes, in particular, areas such as family planning, maternal health, sexually transmitted infections, safe abortion, and experiences of sexual violence. In these areas, many patients seek a high level of confidentiality, as they are often culturally or religiously sensitive and, in some cases, highly contested.

The human right to bodily autonomy remains contested and is still restricted in many countries. Medical professionals and experts therefore warn that AI-based technologies could be misused to further limit and control bodily autonomy, especially for women. The same concerns apply to marginalised groups, such as queer and trans people. There is a risk that existing prejudices, lack of inclusion, and gender-based inequalities may be further exacerbated. These risks are not limited to the field of sexual and reproductive health. However, this area is particularly sensitive due to the influence of religious and cultural norms, as well as political and societal power structures.

On the one hand, AI offers the potential to serve as a vital bridge in regions with a shortage of trained professionals, providing preliminary assessments that could speed up decision-making processes; on the other hand, it also carries the risk of misuse.

At present, there is still a lack of empirical evidence to reliably assess the effectiveness and safety of AI in healthcare. However, “Nurse Nisa” already demonstrates that AI-based technologies can be used meaningfully to support the need for (gender) equality, knowledge dissemination, and accessible medical guidance. Nevertheless, sexuality education, the sharing of knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and medical care will always require direct human interaction. AI cannot replace this communication, but it can strengthen and support it – provided it is implemented with respect for individual human rights.