Named best for maternity care

Kaiser Permanente hospitals are among the top hospitals in the nation for excellence in maternity care, according to Newsweek magazine’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2021 report.

In a partnership with The Leapfrog Group, Newsweek recognized 20 Kaiser Permanente hospitals — 12 in Northern California and 8 in Southern California — for earning top marks for providing safe, high-quality care to moms and their new babies. These Kaiser Permanente hospitals met Leapfrog’s rigorous standards for excellence in maternity care — including low rates of cesarean section, episiotomy (an incision to enlarge the vaginal opening for childbirth), and elective early delivery.

The elite designation was awarded to only 217 hospitals in the United States and 34 in California. Kaiser Permanente hospitals represent nearly 10% of those named to the prestigious list nationwide — and nearly 60% of those listed in California.

The Kaiser Permanente medical centers that received the Best Maternity Hospitals 2021 designation include Kaiser Permanente Antioch, Baldwin Park, Downey, Fontana, Los Angeles, Modesto, Ontario, Panorama City, Redwood City, Roseville, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South Sacramento, Vacaville, Vallejo, Walnut Creek, and West Los Angeles.

Kaiser Permanente has always been ahead of its time when it comes to maternity care and childbirth. Innovative thinking, dedicated research, and expert physicians and care teams have enabled Kaiser Permanente to build and maintain its reputation for exceptional maternal and child care. In 2020, 113,000 babies were delivered at Kaiser Permanente hospitals.

In addition to meeting safety protocols, all honored hospitals must have earned either an A or B or no grade on the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. For more detail on methodology and a complete list of designated maternity care programs, visit Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2021.