10 VA Hospitals Named Among ‘Best’ For Maternity Care In New Report

VIRGINIA — Ten hospitals in Virginia made the grade in a new ranking of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care for 2023-24 released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The ranking of 680 hospitals nationwide is a guide for parents making one of the most important decisions of their lives — where their baby will be born. Each hospital participating in the U.S. News survey received a scorecard describing their performance on a checklist of items parents look for when choosing where to have their baby.

Jennifer Winston, a health data scientist for U.S. News, said the top hospitals in the survey are those with a “high performing” designation for care given to patients with uncomplicated pregnancies. These hospitals had Cesarean Section rates of 26 percent or lower and newborn complication rates of 37 percent or lower, Winston explained in a news release.

Of the 23 Virginia hospitals that participated in the U.S. News maternity services survey, these 10 hospitals received the high performing designation:

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital, Valet Parking Available at times, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

Sentara Leigh Hospital, Norfolk: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, valet parking available at times, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

Sentara RMH Medical Center, Harrisonburg: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Williamsburg: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, South Hill: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge at home only, Valet Parking Available at times, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth, but less than 12 months.

VCU Medical Center, Richmond: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Immersive Tub Hydrotheraphy During Labor, Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital and at home, Valet Parking Available, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth through 12 months.

Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Valet Parking Available, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth through 12 months.

Winchester Medical Center, Winchester: Offers Childbirth Classes, Private Rooms or Suites, Partner May Stay Overnight Post-Delivery, Midwives Can Attend Births, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Breastfeeding and Lactation Consultants Available Before and/or After Discharge in hospital only, Perinatal Depression Screening and Services, Postpartum Depression Screening and Services offered after birth but less than 12 months.

New to the rankings this year is the inaugural “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” list, which highlights 73 hospitals providing services in what otherwise would be maternity care deserts that have “left millions of people without local access to maternity care” in some parts of the country, Winston said.

In Virginia, Maternity Care Access Hospitals are:

• Sentara CarePlex Hospital, Hampton
• Sentara Obici Hospital, Suffolk
• Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, Woodbridge
• VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, South Hill
• Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Williamsburg

The hospitals are ranked on objective measures of quality. Including C-section rate, lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures. Read more about the methodology.