Submitted photoRush Foundation Hospital was honored by the March of Dimes and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for reducing the number of early elective inductions and cesarean deliveries with a special recognition banner.

Rush Foundation Hospital was honored by the March of Dimes and the Mississippi District (District VII) of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for reducing the number of early elective inductions and cesarean deliveries with a special recognition banner.

Rush recently met the criteria to qualify for this distinction, which includes achieving a rate for elective deliveries before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy of 5 percent or lower and that there are guidelines and policies that encourage those having elective deliveries to follow the March of Dimes recommendations for quality care standards to provide the best possible outcomes for the health of the baby.

“We’re proud of our expert team of physicians and nurses who tackled this issue in our community and established policies to avoid scheduling deliveries before 39 weeks of pregnancy, except when medically necessary,” said Jason Payne, Administrator of Rush Foundation Hospital.

Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year and more than one million of those infants die as a result of their early births. Babies who survive an early birth often face the risk of lifelong health challenges.

Dr. Joseph Acosta, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rush Foundation Hospital said, “Even babies who are born just a few weeks early have higher rates of hospitalization and illness than full-term infants.”

“We are delighted to present this commemorative banner to Rush Foundation Hospital for adhering to standards that directly benefit the health of babies,” said Marilyn Johnson, Mississippi Maternal & Child Health Block Grant Manager and Chair of the March of Dimes Mississippi Maternal & Child Health Committee. “The last few weeks of pregnancy are extremely important for the baby’s brain and lung development, among other organs, so we want to commend this momentous achievement.”

“Studies have shown that deliveries that are scheduled for convenience or other non-medical reasons may increase harm to infants, increase health care costs, and worsen medical outcomes,” said Verda J. Hicks, MD, Chair of ACOG District VII. “We are extremely pleased with Rush Foundation Hospital’s participation.”

Rush Health Systems is headquartered in Meridian with healthcare facilities in East Mississippi and West Alabama. The organization includes Rush Foundation Hospital, Specialty Hospital of Meridian, Medical Foundation, Inc., Rush Medical Group, Laird Hospital in Union, H.C. Watkins Hospital in Quitman, Scott Regional Hospital in Morton, John C. Stennis Memorial Hospital in DeKalb and Choctaw General Hospital in Butler, Ala..