Ascension celebrates the recognition of 10 hospitals as High Performing in Maternity Care for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice. This prestigious designation, the highest a hospital can achieve in the annual Best Hospitals for Maternity Care study, highlights outstanding care for mothers and newborns.
Since 2021, U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals, rating facilities that provide labor and delivery services based on detailed data submissions. The Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings are a trusted resource designed to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.
Ascension hospitals earned the High Performing designation based on exceptional performance in areas such as:
- Lower rates of severe unexpected newborn complications.
- Implementation of birthing-friendly practices.
- Transparency in addressing racial and ethnic disparities in care.
“This recognition by U.S. News reflects the unwavering dedication of our maternal care teams to provide exceptional care with compassion and expertise,” said Richard Fogel, MD, FACC, FHRS, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Ascension. “We are proud to offer mothers and newborns the highest standard of care during such an important time in their lives.”
U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals across the United States based on multiple quality measures. Only half of these hospitals earned a place among the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care in the 2025 ratings. The methodology emphasizes objective quality indicators, including lower C-section rates in low-risk pregnancies, rates of exclusive breast milk feeding, and measures of equity and access to care.
Ascension hospitals recognized as High Performing on the U.S. News list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care include:
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital (Miramar Beach, FL)
- Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola Hospital (Pensacola, FL)
- Ascension St. Vincent's Clay County(Middleburg, FL)
- Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan(Manhattan, KS)
- Ascension Via Christi Hospital Wichita (Wichita, KS)
- Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown (Nashville, TN)
- Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital (Murfreesboro, TN)
- Ascension Seton Hays Hospital (Kyle, TX)
- Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin (Austin, TX)
- Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital (Austin, TX)
“The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.” For more details on the methodology and a complete list of recognized hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
In early 2024, Ascension published 1 in 50: Ascension’s Maternal Health Report, which offers an in-depth look into the current state of maternal health, spotlighting Ascension’s pivotal role in delivering care to a significant portion of the nation's newborns and their mothers, particularly those from underserved communities, as well as addressing the social determinants of health that often lead to disparities in care.
Ascension’s Maternal Health Report Highlights:
- Annual Deliveries: Over the past five years, Ascension’s birthing units delivered 72,000–78,000 babies annually, representing approximately 2% of all U.S. births (1 in 50 babies).
- Patient Coverage: In 2023, 41.53% of maternal patients were covered by Medicaid, and 1.65% were self-pay.
- Leading Outcomes: Ascension’s PC-07 maternal morbidity and mortality rate (Oct. 2022–2023) was 20.48% lower than the national average (198 vs. 249 per 10,000 deliveries; p<0.00001).
- Health Equity: Among Black/African American patients, Ascension’s PC-07 rate was 32.60% below the national average (244 vs. 362 per 10,000 deliveries; p<0.00001).
- Maternal Mortality Progress: Ascension’s maternal mortality rates for 2021 were 21% and 41% lower than national rates for all patients and Black/African American patients respectively, with 2022 rates showing a further reduction of 48% and 17% compared to 2021.
In November 2024, Ascension also published its Ministry in Action Report, which details Ascension's focus on delivering safe and quality care, making positive community impacts, enhancing consumer experiences, and investing in the well-being of our associates.
About Ascension
Ascension is one of the nation’s leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2024, Ascension provided $2.1 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Across 17 states and the District of Columbia, Ascension’s network encompasses approximately 128,000 associates, 33,000 affiliated providers, 118 wholly owned or consolidated hospitals, and 34 senior living facilities. Additionally, through strategic partnerships, Ascension holds an ownership interest in 16 other hospitals. Visit www.ascension.org
