March of Dimes Grant is awarded to Hardin Memorial Hospital

Hardin Memorial Hospital’s “Every Week Counts” program was awarded a March of Dimes grant in the amount of $10,000.  The Every Week Counts program was designed to educate patients, community, and healthcare providers about the risks of pre-term births and to decrease elective births prior to 39 weeks gestation at Hardin Memorial.  Hardin Memorial’s grant proposal was one of four in the state to receive March of Dimes funding.

The 2009 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card reported that the national goal for pre-term birth rate is 7.6%. Kentucky received a failing grade with a rate of 15.2%.  The March of Dimes report noted the rise in late pre-term births might be linked to the rising rates of early induction of labor and c-sections.

Hardin Memorial, in collaboration with its Medical Staff, adopted a policy prohibiting the scheduling of elective delivery, by induction or cesarean section, prior to 39 weeks gestation without medical indication.  In accordance with American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines, there must be medical reasons for deliveries scheduled prior to 39 weeks gestation.  The reasoning behind the policy is that babies born too early may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born full term.