Timed fuzzy cognitive maps for supporting obstetricians’ decisions

Abstract

A crucial decision during delivery is whether a pregnant woman is going to have a physiological delivery or a caesariansection. This decision depends on many factors that regard both the woman and the fetus. An obstetrician continuously monitors the health status of both mother and fetus and he regularly has to make a decision estimating all the possible cases/alternatives, but always eliminating the possibility of setting the woman’s life or the fetus at risk. Medical Decision Support Systems (MDSS) offer doctors a tool to evaluate and/or dispute their decision. This work introduces the use of Timed Fuzzy Cognitive Map (T-FCM) for the case of obstetrics, where time is necessary to be included, as it can influence and change and the overall procedure, leading to a different decision.