Comparing AI and Standard Pregnancy Chatbots

Many pregnant women in India use mobile phones to get health information. Nivi runs a free WhatsApp service called askNivi that answers questions about pregnancy and sends reminders about prenatal care visits. The current version of askNivi replies using a set of prepared answers. This study tests a new version that uses artificial intelligence to write replies. The new version looks up information in a reviewed collection of maternal health materials before answering, so its replies stay grounded in checked sources. It is also designed to recognize symptoms that may signal a pregnancy complication and to tell the user to seek care right away. Women who join the study are assigned at random to one of the two versions. Neither version replaces medical care, and both send the same weekly messages and clinic reminders. Women can ask questions at any time throughout their pregnancy. The study will look at how much women use each version, how useful they find it, how they decide when to seek care, and whether they attend prenatal care visits. About 2,500 pregnant women in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh will take part. Participation lasts from enrollment, between 10 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, until delivery.