Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford Is Once Again Named as One of the Best Hospital for Maternity Care

For release: December 6, 2022

PALO ALTO, Calif. — For the second year in a row, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, the center of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, which is exclusively dedicated to expectant mother and children, has been recognized as a “High Performing” hospital for maternity care (uncomplicated pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report.

To be among the best hospitals for maternity care means that Stanford Medicine Children’s Health’s Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services provides high-quality labor and delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies. U.S. News evaluates how well hospitals perform in childbirth using cesarean-section rates, as well as rates of early elective delivery, complications among newborns, breast milk feeding, and whether a hospital offers vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

Fewer than half of the hospitals evaluated for maternity care earned a “High Performing” rating, which is the highest rating that U.S. News gives for uncomplicated pregnancy care.

“This recognition is a testament to the excellence in maternity care that has come to define Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford nationally,” says Yasser El-Sayed, MD, division chief of maternal-fetal medicine and obstetrics at the Stanford School of Medicine and obstetrician-in-chief at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. “We are proud of our renowned team of physicians, nurses, and care staff, who provide exceptional obstetrical care for expectant mothers every day.”

The U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals for Maternity rankings compare hospital ratings for maternity and perinatal care. Over 600 participating hospitals responded to a survey from the U.S. News health analysis team in early 2021, which reflects data from 2019. To achieve a “High Performing” rating, a hospital must score significantly higher than average on a combination of eight quality measures. The rankings methodology factors in patient outcomes such as mortality and infection rates, available clinical resources, and compliance with best practices. Parents-to-be use these rankings to understand key measures of safety, alongside services and amenities, and availability of child birthing classes.

Media Contact

Elizabeth Valente
EValente@StanfordChildrens.org
(650) 269-5401