Fast Forward: Preventing Harm to Newborns and Mothers: A Case Study on Early Elective Deliveries 

The second issue of Fast Forward focuses on collective efforts to promote healthy babies and mothers across the country by reducing early elective deliveries. Such deliveries—defined as delivery prior to 39 weeks gestation—can cause infants serious harm, but are an increasingly common practice in the United States, often for non-medical reasons. The NQF-convened, HHS-funded National Priorities Partnership is working to help reduce the number of early elective deliveries alongside major advocacy organizations, hospitals, and physicians, and the results thus far have been promising.