Early Elective Delivery – Reducing the Rate

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Early Elective Delivery – Reducing the Rate

Early Elective Deliveries are inductions or cesarean sections performed prior to 39 completed weeks gestation that are NOT medically necessary. The goal is to reduce the rate to 5% or lower, since they have significant health risks to both mother and baby, not to mention added costs. Leapfrog helped drive efforts to lower the number of babies delivered before 39 weeks of pregnancy (1 week before your due date). Dramatic improvement from 2010, when the rate was 17%. By 2020, it fell under 2% of deliveries (1.6%). In the 2021 report, over 600 hospitals had 0 early elective deliveries; 92% of hospitals reporting to Leapfrog met the standard of 5% or less. However, close to 60 hospitals did not yet meet that standard.