Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns Toolkit
In February 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services launched Strong Start, an initiative to improve birth outcomes and reduce the risk of significant complications and long-term health problems for both expectant mothers and newborns. For decades, organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the March of Dimes have been promoting the importance of full-term pregnancies—those naturally reaching at least 39 weeks gestation—yet early elective deliveries may still account for 10-15 percent of all deliveries.
Working in partnership with several organizations, including March of Dimes, ACOG, and other stakeholders, CMS has released this toolkit to provide action-oriented resources for health care providers and community-based organizations.
Reducing the rate of early elective deliveries and the rate of pre-term birth will require work and commitment from all of us. Find out more about the steps we can all take together to make a positive difference.
The toolkit includes:
- Patient checklists
- Information for patients and families
- Posters
- Drop-in article
- Campaign materials
- Website banners
- Frequently asked questions and answers
Este folleto contiene documentos en inglés y español.
More information about early elective deliveries and our partners can be found in the Related Links section below.