Maternal and Neonatal Complications of Elective Early-Term Deliveries

Approximately 10% to 15% of all deliveries in the United States are performed before 39 completed weeks of gestation without a true medical indication for early delivery, despite long-standing recommendations against this practice. Early-term deliveries are those that occur between 3707 and 3867 weeks. It is now recognized that maternal and neonatal complications have increased for deliveries that occur at early- vs late-term gestation. The reasons for the increase in the rate of elective early-term deliveries are unclear but likely involve both patient and physician factors. Various strategies have been used to increase awareness of the morbidities associated with the practice of elective early-term delivery and to reduce its frequency. Insurers and quality accrediting agencies are increasingly holding hospitals accountable for their rates of elective early-term deliveries, and this pressure will likely continue to lead to widespread change in the practice of obstetrics. The interventions to increase adherence to evidence-based medicine guidelines that are described within this review may also be applicable to other areas of medicine.