From caring for expectant parents through fertility treatment, pregnancy and delivery, to offering specialized treatment for babies weighing less than a pound in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), UC San Diego Health provides the highest standard of care for newborns and parents, which has once again resulted in national recognition.
For the third year in a row, the region’s only academic medical center is recognized as a 2025 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care, the highest award a hospital can earn by U.S. News & World Report for obstetric and infant care.
“UC San Diego Health consistently sets the standard on highly reliable maternity care and we are dedicated to caring for people who dream of becoming parents for the first time, or are hoping to grow their existing family,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “We are honored when families choose us to help welcome a new child into the world.”
The Best Hospitals for Maternity Care survey began in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services. The report assists 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.
Surveyors evaluated 817 hospitals from across the nation that provide labor and delivery services and submitted detailed data to the publication for analysis. All measures were collected via a nationwide survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Based on the survey data, 414 hospitals received a High Performing designation.
“It is both humbling and an incredible testament to the expertise of our team to receive this recognition now for the third time,” said Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, chair for the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and perinatologist at UC San Diego Health.
“As our hospital system continues to expand in growth, this honor is a testament to our team’s steadfast dedication to providing our patients with high quality, compassionate care during one of the most extraordinary moments in a person’s life.”
UC San Diego Health also ranked 12th in the nation by the same publication for obstetrics and gynecology care.
The Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ranking methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as cesarean section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, support in vaginal birth after cesarean, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, birthing-friendly practices and exclusive breast milk feeding rates, among other measures.
"Nearly 90% of the babies born at UC San Diego Health are fed only breast milk while at the hospital, a rate that increases each year and surpasses the national average of 49%,” said Eustratia Hubbard, MD, medical director of newborn services at UC San Diego Health. “As part of this recognition received from U.S. News, we are incredibly proud to be nationally recognized for breastfeeding support as it’s been continually shown that breast milk boosts an infant’s immunity, digestive system and brain development, and protects against allergies, asthma and other conditions.”
Gyamfi-Bannerman adds that, through the department’s Culture and Justice Quorum, led by Audra Meadows, MD, OBGYN at UC San Diego Health, a focus on bias training, trauma-informed care, and gender inclusivity has been at the forefront to ensure respect and equitable care for each and every patient.
“We’ve expanded our community outreach to foster trust and collaboration, launched equity-focused perinatal quality improvement efforts, integrated doula support for underserved populations, and prioritized data disaggregation to inform action,” said Gyamfi-Bannerman.
As part of the rankings, UC San Diego Health also met specific criteria to be recognized as a Birthing-Friendly hospital because the health system participated in a quality improvement collaborative and implemented patient safety practices in order to improve maternal outcomes.
“Our highly trained teams of providers and nurses specialize in caring for patients with high-risk conditions in pregnancy to ensure a safe journey for mom and baby during pregnancy and postpartum,” said Maryam Tarsa, MD, perinatologist at UC San Diego Health. “This remarkable national recognition and our positive outcomes demonstrates our commitment to our patients, from family planning and conception, to childbirth and postpartum care.”
Approximately 5,000 babies are born at UC San Diego Health every year.
With two distinct birthing locations and a large staff of physicians and midwives, as well as high-risk specialists and leading-edge technology, UC San Diego Health gives patients more childbirth options than anywhere else in San Diego.
The Birth Center at Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla offers a more holistic approach. Patients also have the option of traditional labor and delivery settings available at both Jacobs Medical Center and Hillcrest Medical Center, with free doula support offered at both hospitals. A Level III NICU is available at Jacobs Medical Center and a Level II Intermediate NICU is available at Hillcrest Medical Center.
“Each and every day, our team provides patient-centered care, and it’s our privilege to do so,” said Gyamfi-Bannerman. “We work together toward a unified goal of a healthy, positive experience for parents and their beloved newborns.”
About UC San Diego Health
UC San Diego Health is dedicated to delivering outstanding patient care through commitment to community, groundbreaking research and inspired teaching. The 1,101-bed academic health system includes three hospitals —Hillcrest Medical Center, Jacobs Medical Center and East Campus Medical Center — as well as Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion and Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute. The health system also includes primary care and same-day services at clinics throughout Southern California.
Topics
Fertility Gynecology Hospital Care Pregnancy & Birth Care
