These Are the Best Maternity Hospitals in America, U.S. News Says
A plethora of important health decisions come with pregnancy, and perhaps one of the biggest centers on where you’ll deliver baby. If you are on the hunt for a maternity hospital you can count on, it’s worth taking a look at U.S. News and World Report’s new list of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
The report expands on U.S. News’ existing best hospitals rankings and is “designed to help [parents] identify hospitals that excel in delivering babies for uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Min Hee Seo, a senior health data scientist at U.S. News in a press release.
To compile its list, U.S. News sent a maternity services survey to private hospitals across America. Using objective data submitted by each hospital, the researchers determined the quality of care based on three categories: outcomes, process, and structure.
Outcomes accounted for 60 percent of the score and included data on:
- C-section rates: 30 percent
- Newborn complication rates: 25 percent
- Episiotomy rates: 5 percent
Process accounted for 35 percent of the score and included data on:
- Early elective delivery rates: 5 percent
- Exclusive breast milk feeding rates: 20 percent
- Vaginal birth after cesarean rates: 5 percent
- Transparency on racial/ethnic disparities: 5 percent
Structure accounted for 5 percent of the score and included data on whether each hospital met new federal criteria for “birthing-friendly” practices.
Unlike last year, this year’s report rewards hospitals that tracked their outcomes for patients of different races and ethnicities. “Identifying racial disparities in maternity care is a vital step toward achieving health equity,” said Seo. “The new measures provide expectant parents with many important data points, such as whether hospitals implemented patient safety practices, to assist them in making a decision about where to receive maternity care.”
After scrutinizing the scores of nearly 650 hospitals, the U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity report features 297 high-performing hospitals. While the list may be helpful, it’s important to note that it does not address high-risk pregnancies or account for limiting factors, such as household income and geographical area.
To view the rankings for the best maternity hospitals and browse those near you, visit U.S.News.com.
