Prentice Women's Hospital, Central DuPage Hospital Recognized by March of Dimes
Northwestern Medicine
By Kara Spak
News March 05, 2015
Northwestern Medicine's Prentice Women's Hospital and Central DuPage Hospital are two of 40 Illinois hospitals earning recognition by the March of Dimes* for reducing the number of elective deliveries performed before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy.This will give more babies a healthier start in life, as babies born too early without a medical indication may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born full term.
March of Dimes partnered with the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ILPQC) and the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA) to honor participating hospitals with a banner indicating their commitment to improving the quality of care for moms and babies.
"At Northwestern, physicians and nurses work together to make sure that women achieve 39 weeks of pregnancy before an elective delivery can be scheduled," said Dr. William Grobman, a maternal fetal medicine specialist. "We are focused on working with our patients for the healthiest outcomes for them and their babies. We appreciate the support and recognition from the March of Dimes."
Qualifying hospitals, which participate in ILPQC or the IHA Hospital Engagement Network, have shown evidence of at least six months' worth of early elective deliveries rates that fall below 5 percent and a hospital policy to avoid scheduling non-medically necessary deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy."We are proud of our members who have partnered with the March of Dimes on this initiative to reduce early elective deliveries in an effort to improve maternal health and promote the healthiest possible beginning for all babies," said Maryjane Wurth, president and CEO of the Illinois Hospital Association.
Babies born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants. Recent research by the March of Dimes, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that the risk of death more than doubles for infants born at 37 weeks of pregnancy when compared to babies born at 40 weeks.
"Congratulations to all hospitals participating in the ILPQC Early Elective Delivery Initiative!," said Ann Borders, M.D., MSc, MPH, Evanston Hospital, NorthShore University HealthSystem, ILPQC executive director and obstetric lead. "This accomplishment reflects teamwork and dedication to quality improvement and commitment to better outcomes for moms and babies in Illinois."
