CMS Posts Resources to Help Providers Reduce Elective Preterm Deliveries

As part of the agency’s Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted resources to help healthcare providers reduce the occurrence of elective preterm deliveries. According to CMS, although research has indicated that performing elective deliveries before 39 weeks of gestation without a sound medical reason can increase the risk of complications for both mother and baby, as well as the risk of long-term health problems, these deliveries may still account for more than 10% of all deliveries.