Three local hospitals have been recognized by the State Health Department for reducing the numbers of pre-term births.
Unity and Highland Hospitals in Rochester and F.F. Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua participated in a statewide collaborative to reverse the trend of scheduling early deliveries via induction or cesarean for no medical reason.
The State Health Department says 97 hospitals reported an overall 92 percent decrease in scheduled deliveries without medical reason between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation from June 2012 to December 2013. That figure includes a 94 percent decrease in cesarean sections and an 86 percent decrease in induced births.
Preterm birth is associated with severe health problems, including difficulty breathing, impaired vision and delayed development.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says preterm births are a leading cause of long-term neurological disabilities in children.
