India has launched its largest pregnancy cohort study under the GARBH-INi initiative, enrolling around 12,000 women to address preterm births using indigenous, AI-driven solutions. The programme, led by the Department of Biotechnology, aims to tackle one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and long-term health complications.
The GARBH-INi (Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes) initiative integrates clinical epidemiology, multi-omics research and artificial intelligence to develop personalised prediction models tailored for Indian populations. It represents a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improving maternal and child healthcare outcomes.
The study has created one of South Asia’s largest pregnancy cohorts, generating over 1.6 million biospecimens and more than one million ultrasound images. This has led to the establishment of a national biorepository and the GARBH-INi-DRISHTI data platform, enabling advanced research and collaboration across institutions.
Key innovations include AI-based pregnancy dating models, microbiome-based predictors of preterm birth and rapid diagnostic tools. These advancements are expected to support early detection of risks and enable timely medical interventions.
By linking scientific innovation with public health priorities, the initiative highlights India’s growing bioeconomy and its commitment to improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
