October 6, 2025 — Leads & Copy — Butterfly Network, Inc. (NYSE: BFLY) has launched its AI Gestational Age tool in Malawi and Uganda to improve maternal and fetal health. The company also announced a milestone year for its obstetrical POCUS advancement across the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. Butterfly has integrated the world’s first AI-powered blind-sweep Gestational Age calculator directly into its app, now being used by clinicians in Malawi and Uganda.
The AI tool, supported by the Gates Foundation and developed by the University of North Carolina, provides a rapid estimate of gestational age through a simple blind-sweep scan, eliminating the need for image interpretation or provider training. This expands access to affordable ultrasound technology, allowing use by midwives and other healthcare workers. Accurate gestational age determination enables clinicians to administer timely life-saving medications or procedures.
According to Dr. Sachita Shah, Vice President, Global Health at Butterfly Network, the AI-powered tool offers a fast and simple way for lower-skilled healthcare workers in SSA to provide appropriate care plans for pregnant women. The model was trained using data from African populations to ensure relevance and performance.
Butterfly also celebrated the success of its 1,000 Probe Partnership, funded by the Gates Foundation, which deployed 1,000 iQ+ handheld POCUS probes and trained over 1,050 healthcare providers in SSA from September 2022 to December 2024. This led to the integration of obstetrical ultrasound services in more than 697 public health facilities in South Africa and Kenya, with 1.8 million scans conducted as of July 2025.
Preliminary data from Kenyatta University in Kenya indicates that antenatal care visits before 24 weeks increased, and over 90% of patients reported satisfaction after the introduction of Butterfly. In South Africa, preliminary data from CHAI suggests a reduction in stillbirths, neonatal mortality, and maternal mortality with midwife-led OB-POCUS. Initial analysis in the Eastern Cape province also shows a decrease in stillbirths and maternal mortality.
The newest Butterfly device, iQ3™, has been approved for use in South Africa and Kenya. Butterfly data shows providers’ scan times average just 1.3 minutes, with high confidence in detecting key maternal conditions.
Contact:
Dr. Sachita Shah, Vice President, Global Health at Butterfly Network.
Source: Butterfly Network, Inc.
