My lede:

Many U.S. hospitals frequently deliver babies before 39 weeks’ gestation without a medical indication, according to data released in January by The Leapfrog Group, an employer-funded organization that seeks to improve health care quality and safety.

Half of 773 hospitals voluntarily reporting to Leapfrog last year said they exceeded an expert-set 12% target rate for the proportion of babies delivered early by elective induction. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines say elective deliveries should not be done before 39 weeks’ gestation.

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