Methodology

For the list, U.S. News evaluated hospitals providing maternity care on their quality of care in three categories:

• Outcomes, which includes harm to patients, death, and other consequences or results of care
• Process, which refers to the way diagnoses, treatments, and practices to avoid harm are rendered, as well as whether steps known to be effective for preventing infections and medical errors are built into hospital routine
• Structure, which refers to hospital resources associated with patient care

To create a composite score for each hospital, U.S. News looked at seven measures:

• Lower risk pregnancy C-section delivery rates
• Routine vaginal birth after C-section delivery rates
• Severe unexpected newborn complication rates
• Episiotomy rates
• Commitment to exclusive human milk feeding rates
• Reporting on outcomes disparities
• Birthing-friendly practices

Changes to this year's methodology include asking hospitals to submit data for the prior calendar year (January to December 2024) instead of data for the calendar year two years prior and allowing hospitals to submit electronic clinical quality data for certain measures. According to U.S. News, these changes were made to reduce the time burden for hospitals completing the survey and to provide patients with more up-to-date information.

Overall, 901 hospitals submitted data and were eligible for recognition on the list. This is the highest number of submissions since U.S. News started the list.

The states with the most high-performing hospitals were:

• California (80)
• Texas (31)
• New Jersey (27)
• New York (25)
• Illinois (23)
• North Carolina (22)
• Pennsylvania (21)
• Wisconsin (21)
• Utah (18)
• Indiana (18)

U.S. News also recognized 147 hospitals as Maternity Care Access Hospitals. These hospitals provide maternity care services to underserved communities. Without these hospitals, these communities are at risk of becoming maternity care deserts.

"Choosing where to welcome a new baby is one of the most personal health care decisions a family makes. Expectant parents can use U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care to compare key outcomes and support services at maternity hospitals in their area," Winston said. "Whether your priority is a low C-section rate, strong VBAC support or the availability of a dedicated lactation consultant, U.S. News' digital hospital profiles offer parents free, transparent information as they choose a hospital for their maternity care."

To see the full list of recognized hospitals, click here.