Prof. Smaranda Belciug
University of Craiova, RomaniaAI will not replace obstetrician.. but it will change obstetrics
Abstract:
Artificial Intelligence is often portrayed as a disruptive force in medicine, raising fears of replacement and loss of clinical autonomy. In obstetrics, these concerns are particularly sensitive, as decisions affect not one, but two lives. This keynote argues that AI will not replace obstetricians, but will redefine how obstetric care is delivered. By integrating medical imaging, longitudinal maternal-fetal data, and intelligent decision support, AI enables a shift from reactive assessment to anticipatory care. From assisting fetal morphology interpretation to predicting the type of birth before labor begins, AI transforms isolated clinical observations into coherent, patient-specific insights. These systems do not decide; they inform, simulate, and support. Looking beyond algorithms, the talk explores how AI-driven models and emerging digital twins of pregnancy can help clinicians reason about risk, uncertainty, and alternative outcomes. The future of obstetrics is not automated medicine, but augmented intelligence - where technology extends human judgment while preserving responsibility, trust, and clinical intuition.
Biography:
Smaranda Belciug is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Craiova, Romania, and a PhD supervisor with the Romanian Academy. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence applied to medicine, with particular emphasis on medical imaging, intelligent decision support systems, applied statistics, and generative models. She has led and coordinated major national and European-funded research projects in AI for healthcare, including large-scale clinical applications in obstetrics and fetal morphology analysis. Prof. Belciug is the holder of a European patent on AI-based detection of internal organ anomalies and has received multiple awards from the Romanian Academy for contributions to science and medicine. She serves as Senior Editor for BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making and is actively involved as an expert evaluator for Horizon Europe health research programmes. Her work bridges AI innovation and real-world clinical practice.
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