U.S. News’ annual list highlights hospitals that provide exceptional maternity care
EDEN, N.C. – Dec. 10, 2024 – UNC Health Rockingham’s Birthing Center has been recognized as “High Performing” for maternity care by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. Additionally, the hospital earned the “Maternity Care Access” designation for providing access to underserved populations in danger of becoming maternity deserts. Only nine percent of U.S. News-evaluated hospitals across the country were designated as both Maternity Care Access Hospitals and Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family’s needs. Initiated in 2024, the Maternity Care Access Award was established to recognize hospitals for quality care provided to underserved regions that, if not for the award-winning hospital, would be maternity deserts.
“UNC Health Rockingham’s Birthing Center is dedicated to providing high quality, compassionate maternal care to families living in rural Rockingham County and surrounding areas,” said Steve Eblin, President and CEO of UNC Health Rockingham. “I want to thank the exceptional team who works diligently to ensure all moms and babies have access to equitable care.”
For this year’s list, U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals from across the United States. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. UNC Health Rockingham earned a High Performing designation – the top recognition a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
“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. “These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.”
The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
For more information on U.S. News’ annual list, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
UNC Health Rockingham is a nonprofit, 108-bed community hospital preserving excellent, compassionate and trusted care where it is needed most: close to home. As a cornerstone in Eden, N.C., and a major employer, UNC Health Rockingham serves people throughout Rockingham County and in neighboring Southern Virginia areas. In addition to inpatient, outpatient, surgical and emergency care, the hospital offers diagnostic and treatment services, provide screenings and tests and lead wellness initiatives. More information about UNC Health Rockingham may be found at uncrockingham.org.
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