U.S. News & World Report has named Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside and Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County as 2026 High Performing hospitals for Maternity Care ‒ the highest award a hospital can earn as part of its’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, St. Vincent’s Southside and St. Vincent’s Clay County earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and birthing-friendly practices, among other measures.
"Earning the High Performing designation from U.S. News reflects our maternal care teams' commitment to safety and clinical excellence," said Dr. Syed Jafri, chief clinical officer for Ascension Florida. "Our teams work tirelessly to ensure every family receives the highest quality care throughout their birthing journey, right here in their community. Families shouldn't have to travel far from home to receive exceptional outcomes when bringing their babies into the world."
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data for analysis. For the 2026 edition, approximately 900 hospitals nationwide submitted maternity data for evaluation. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings are intended to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.
“Hospitals designated as a U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity Care are national leaders. This recognition means they are consistently hitting crucial patient safety benchmarks compared to other hospitals,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “It's a clear signal to expectant parents about where the highest standards of care are being practiced – when parents see this designation, they can be assured they are choosing a hospital dedicated to exceptional, evidence-based maternity care.”
Ascension Florida hospitals are improving care for moms and babies through several key initiatives:
Expanding access to care
- A new Telehealth Maternity Care Program provides expecting mothers with personalized support throughout pregnancy and up to one year after birth at no cost. Through a partnership with the Florida Department of Health, referred families are assigned a dedicated patient navigator who connects them with prenatal and postpartum services, helping to remove barriers to care.
- St. Vincent’s Clay County is expanding the Family Birth Place to include a Level II NICU, which will add around 5,000 square feet and eight private Level II NICU beds.
Improving outcomes
- St. Vincent's Clay County is rated as "excellent at minimizing avoidable C-sections," with less than 23.6% of first-time, low-risk pregnancies at full term delivered by Cesarean section. The hospital has received state awards for its low C-section rates.
Additional recent recognitions
- Sacred Heart Emerald Coast and St. Vincent’s Southside were named in Newsweek’s 2025 list of America’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals at the highest five ribbon level.
- Sacred Heart Emerald Coast and St. Vincent’s Clay County are recognized as Maternal Levels of Care verified hospitals by The Joint Commission through its collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and support from the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative.
- Sacred Heart Emerald Coast holds the Baby-Friendly designation in recognition of its commitment to the highest level of breastfeeding support and education.
