GENEVA, IL — Where to have your baby is one of the most important decisions Illinois parents make. To help guide them, U.S. News & World Report has released a list of the best hospitals for maternity care in 2025.
A record 817 hospitals providing labor and delivery care were evaluated, but only about half were selected, according to U.S. News. In Illinois, 18 of the 30 hospitals evaluated met the criteria for listing. Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva was ranked as one of the best hospitals for obstetric care.
Two of the facilities analyzed were hospitals with access to obstetric care, one of which was ranked the highest. The latter list, in its second year, recognizes 118 hospitals that serve expectant parents who otherwise would not have access to prenatal and delivery care.
Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News & World Report, said in a news release that the 2025 list is the most comprehensive since the ratings began in 2021.
“These high-performing hospitals provide exceptional care to expectant parents, have significantly lower C-section rates, and fewer unexpected and severe It has been demonstrated that severe neonatal complications occur,” Winston said in a news release.
According to US News, the hospitals on the list are:
47% more likely to be designated as “Baby Friendly” by Baby Friendly USA, indicating hospitals are taking important steps to support breastfeeding. 22% lower C-section rate compared to maternity hospitals not recognized by US News. 44 percent lower rate of severe unanticipated neonatal complications compared to maternity hospitals not recognized by U.S. News; episiotomy rate lower than maternity hospitals not recognized by U.S. News 33 percent lower; 12 percent higher than maternity hospitals not recognized by US News with breastfeeding rates; US News is 13% more likely to report race/ethnicity data for both cesarean sections and severe unexpected neonatal complications compared to unaccredited maternity hospitals.
This list is based on objective measures of quality, such as cesarean section rates in low-risk pregnancies, rates of serious unanticipated neonatal complications, exclusive breastfeeding rates, birth-friendly practices, and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities. Based entirely on. .
