NEW BEDFORD – Southcoast Health’s Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River and St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford have been recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report.
The hospitals were included on the publication’s list of 2025 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. U.S. News began assessing maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and that submit detailed data for analysis. The list is meant to help expectant parents and their prenatal care team to make decisions about where to get maternity care.
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“This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study,” said David O. McCready, CEO and president of Southcoast Health. “I am proud of Southcoast Health’s commitment to providing exceptional maternity care to our community, and I want to extend my gratitude to the entire team who made this achievement possible.”
The methodology for creating the list is based on objective measures such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breastfeeding rates, birthing-friendly practices, and reporting on racial or ethnic disparities, among other factors.
“We are honored to earn this recognition for the outstanding maternity care and service we provide our patients across the south coast region,” said Kim Pina, director of the Family Centered Unit/Level II Nursery at Southcoast Health. “I am grateful to work with our amazing team who is committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care to our patients and their families.”
Southcoast Health was also the only organization in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to be named to the list, which included 118 honorees across the country. This means that Southcoast Health provides quality care to expectant parents who would not have access to maternity care otherwise and serves communities that would be maternity care deserts.
“Earning this national recognition demonstrates the continued dedication and high standard of excellence from our team of staff, nurses, advanced practice providers, midwives and physicians who continue to deliver to our community,” said Dr. Christian Pope, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Southcoast Health. “We are proud to provide this essential care for our community.”
Last year, more than 3,000 babies were born at Charlton Memorial and St. Luke’s hospitals.
“The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents,” said Jennifer Winston, 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.”
In addition to this recognition, both hospitals were again designated as Baby-Friendly in 2024 by Baby-Friendly USA Inc., the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States.
The BFHI is a global program launched in 1991 by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund that assists hospitals in giving mothers the information, confidence and necessary skills to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so, according to the organization’s website.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
