The Best Hospitals for Maternity ratings are determined by a U.S. News & World Report analysis of submitted and other objective data. In order to be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, a hospital had to submit data from 2019 and its performance had to meet U.S. News’ maternity care standard.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (December 7, 2021) — UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and UNC Rex Healthcare in Raleigh have both been rated “High Performing” for maternity services by U.S. News and World Report in its inaugural edition of “Best Hospitals for Maternity” program.
The Best Hospitals for Maternity ratings are determined by a U.S. News analysis of submitted and other objective data. In order to be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, a hospital had to submit data from 2019 and its performance had to meet U.S. News’ maternity care standard.
Earlier this year, U.S. News explained that its goal in launching Best Hospitals for Maternity is “to help expectant mothers and families make informed choices about hospitals where they might have a baby following an uncomplicated pregnancy. Different women have different preferences and needs in childbirth, so it’s important they make their decisions in consultation with a trusted medical professional.”
The “Best Hospitals for Maternity” program requires data collection directly from hospitals because data available from other sources are insufficient on their own to evaluate the quality of maternal and neonatal care.
Factors Evaluated
The Best Hospitals for Maternity evaluation looks at hospital data relating only to uncomplicated pregnancies – not high-risk pregnancies – and at five different factors:
- Scheduled early deliveries;
- C-section rates in low-risk women;
- Newborn complications;
- Rate of exclusive breast milk feeding;
- Option for vaginal births after cesarean (VBAC).
In addition to considering the measures collected from each hospital, the U.S. News methodology may use quality measures available from other sources, such as early elective delivery rate from the federal website Care Compare.
About UNC Health
UNC Health is an integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. It exists to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina and to provide state-of-the-art patient care.
UNC Health is comprised of UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, ranked consistently among the best medical centers in the country; the UNC School of Medicine, a nationally eminent research institution; Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville; Chatham Hospital in Siler City; Johnston Health in Clayton and Smithfield; UNC Lenoir Health Care in Kinston; Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro; Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir; Nash UNC Health Care in Rocky Mount; UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden, Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, UNC Health Southeastern in Lumberton, UNC Health Blue Ridge in Morganton, CarolinaEast in New Bern, UNC REX Healthcare and its provider network in Wake County; and the UNC Physicians Network. For more information, please visit www.unchealth.org.