The impact of artificial intelligence-based emotional support tools on anxiety and stress levels in high-risk pregnant women

High-risk pregnancies are associated with increased anxiety and stress. These elevated stress levels can negatively impact both maternal and fetal health. This study aims to explore the impact of artificial intelligence as emotional support tool in reducing anxiety and stress among high-risk pregnant women. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention. A convenient sample of 300 high-risk pregnancies women participated in this study . This study was conducted at Al-Zahraa Hospital in New Damietta, Damietta Governorate, Egypt. Three tools were used for data collection, socio demographic data and Obstetric Data, Stress and Anxiety Scale and AI Usability and Perceived Emotional Support Scale. RESULTS: results demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pregnancy-related anxiety and stress scores following the four-week intervention period. Specifically, the mean total score dropped from 54.05 ± 5.99 before the intervention to 10.15 ± 3.82 after using the AI chatbot (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that AI emotional support tools can effectively reduce stress and anxiety in women with high-risk pregnancies and chatbot achieved high usability scores, indicating that participants found it easy to access, functional, and responsive. RECOMMENDATIONS: Based on our findings, we recommend integrating AI emotional support tools into standard prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies. Future efforts should focus on developing ethical guidelines and adapting these technologies to meet diverse patient needs across different healthcare settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registration number (PACTR202601891625550), the date of registration (05/1/2026).