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Ascension has announced that ten of its hospitals have been recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care for 2025 by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition is the highest a hospital can achieve in the annual Best Hospitals for Maternity Care study, which evaluates facilities providing labor and delivery services.
Since 2021, U.S. News has been assessing maternity care hospitals based on detailed data submissions. The ratings serve as a resource to help expectant parents make informed decisions about maternity services in consultation with their prenatal care team.
The Ascension hospitals received this designation due to their performance in areas such as lower rates of severe unexpected newborn complications, birthing-friendly practices, and 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, 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 using multiple quality measures. Only half of these hospitals were named among the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care in 2025. The evaluation focused on objective quality indicators like lower C-section rates in low-risk pregnancies, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and measures of equity and access to care.
The recognized Ascension hospitals 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.
In early 2024, Ascension released "1 in 50: Ascension’s Maternal Health Report," highlighting its role in maternal health care across the nation. The report details significant outcomes such as a PC-07 maternal morbidity and mortality rate that is 20.48% lower than the national average from October 2022 to October 2023.
Ascension also published its Ministry in Action Report in November 2024 to outline its commitment to safe and quality care while making positive community impacts.
Ascension is one of the leading non-profit Catholic health systems nationwide with a mission focused on compassionate care for all individuals, especially those living in poverty or vulnerable situations.
