'Smart' stethoscope spots peripartum cardiomyopathy.

A recent study conducted in Nigeria found that using a "smart" digital stethoscope with artificial intelligence (AI) technology doubled the detection of peripartum cardiomyopathy in obstetric patients. Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a life-threatening condition that is difficult to diagnose due to overlapping symptoms with pregnancy. The digital stethoscope provided accurate readings and identified 92% of women with reduced ejection fraction. The study suggests that this AI tool could be valuable in areas with a high prevalence of peripartum cardiomyopathy, but further research is needed to determine its effectiveness compared to other screening methods. [Extracted from the article]