The ranking is designed to assist expectant parents and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity care, and it is the highest award a hospital can earn for maternity care from the organization.
Additionally, UC Medical Center earned a High Performing designation from U.S. News & World Report in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as newborn complication rates.
“Our clinicians and employees provide advanced medical care to expectant mothers and babies every day, and we are proud to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report for this outstanding level of care,” Rob Wiehe, executive vice president and chief operations officer for hospital operations at UC Health, said.
UC Medical Center is the first and only Level IV maternity hospital in Greater Cincinnati, and one of just seven Level IV maternity hospitals in Ohio. A Level IV maternity hospital is a regional perinatal health care center able to treat the most complex medical conditions during pregnancy, labor and postpartum.
The hospital was the first in the state of Ohio and one of 34 hospitals nationwide to be certified by The Joint Commission for Perinatal Care. This designation means that UC Medical Center works to reduce infant mortality rates, maternal complications, unnecessary induction of labor and prematurity rates—which can lead to infant mortality.
UC Medical Center is also home to the region’s first and only OB Emergency Care Center, which provides emergency care to expectant mothers and babies after 16 weeks of gestation and up to two weeks post-delivery.
"As the only Level IV obstetrical unit in the region, we are honored to be recognized as a High Performing hospital for maternal care. Our providers and nurses work tirelessly and are dedicated to our mission of making the patient's obstetrical experience the best it can be. We appreciate the recognition and will continue to provide a safe and caring environment for patients and their families,” Michael A. Thomas, MD, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the UC College of Medicine and a UC Health physician, said
U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 650 hospitals that provide high-quality labor and delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies for its 2022-2023 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. Fewer than half of all hospitals that offer maternity care and participated in the survey received a High Performing designation.
“When expectant parents are considering their options for welcoming a baby to the world, the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care are designed to help them identify hospitals that excel in delivering babies for uncomplicated pregnancies,” Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News & World Report said. “A hospital that has earned a High Performing designation may be a good option for parents, in consultation with their medical provider, to consider.”
The U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rates, among other measures.
For more information, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.
Earlier this year, UC Medical Center was also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top four hospitals in Greater Cincinnati, and it was also named among the 2022 World’s Best Hospitals for clinical excellence by Newsweek magazine.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.