New Report Names 21 Pennsylvania Hospitals as ‘Best’ for Maternity Care

The Best Hospitals for Maternity Services: A Comprehensive Guide for Expecting Parents

When it comes to the joyous yet daunting experience of childbirth, choosing the right hospital is a key decision for parents-to-be. With the recent ranking of 680 hospitals nationwide by U.S. News, parents can now make an informed choice based on a detailed performance checklist.

Health data scientist at U.S. News, Jennifer Winston, highlights the high-performing hospitals in the survey. These are characterized by their exceptional care for patients experiencing uncomplicated pregnancies. Notably, these hospitals boast Cesarean Section rates of 26 percent or lower and a reduced newborn complication rate of 37 percent or lower.

Top Maternity Service Hospitals: Who Made the Cut?

Out of 41 hospitals evaluated in the U.S. News maternity services survey, 21 stood out with the high performing designation. These hospitals offer a variety of services, such as childbirth classes, private rooms or suites, overnight accommodation for partners post-delivery, and access to midwives. In addition, they provide leading care in areas like breastfeeding and lactation consultancy, perinatal depression screening, postpartum depression services, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

• Einstein Medical Center Montgomery
• Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital
• Independence Health System – Westmoreland Hospital
• Jefferson Health-Abington Hospital
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono
• Main Line Health Riddle Hospital
• Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
• UPMC Altoona
• UPMC Carlisle
• UPMC Harrisburg
• UPMC Horizon
• UPMC Lititz
• UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital
• UPMC Memorial
• UPMC Williamsport
• WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital
• WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital
• WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital
• West Penn Hospital

The Inaugural “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” List

Adding a new dimension to this year’s rankings is the introduction of the “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” list. This list spotlights 73 hospitals delivering crucial maternity services in areas that would otherwise be maternity care deserts, providing much-needed local maternity care access to millions, according to Winston.

In Pennsylvania, the Maternity Care Access Hospitals include:

• UPMC Northwest
• Geisinger Lewistown Hospital
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill South Jackson Street
• WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital
• UPMC Carlisle
• WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono
• UPMC Williamsport

The ranking of these hospitals is based on objective measures such as C-section rate, low-risk pregnancy handling, newborn complication rates, and more. Get more information about the methodology here.