News

Meritus Medical Center made the list of best maternity hospitals in the U.S., one of the 217 named nationwide and one of only three in Maryland.

The annual list is released by Newsweek in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, an organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers.

“We are thrilled to be selected as a top ranking Maryland hospital for this honor,” says Melanie Heuston, D.N.P., chief nursing and patient care services officer. “It’s truly recognition of our women’s and children’s services staff and all that team accomplishes for patient safety and quality care when supporting the birth of nearly 2,000 newborns at Meritus Medical Center each year!”

Hospitals on the list had to demonstrate meeting standards for excellence in maternity care. Targets include:

• 5% or less in early elective deliveries that carry risks to both babies and mothers;
• 23.9% or less for C-section births that can carry serious risks of infection or blood clots; longer recoveries and difficulty with future pregnancies for many women and breathing difficulties for babies;
• 5% or less for episiotomies which medical guidelines today recommend only in a narrow set of cases;
• at least 90% of babies screened for jaundice; and
• at least 90% of mothers delivering via C-section have techniques applied to their labor to prevent blood clots, as these moms are sometimes at risk for pulmonary embolisms.