Three UPMC hospitals in northcentral Pa. were recognized by U.S. News & World Report for providing exceptional quality maternity care.

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, named UPMC Williamsport a 2025 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care, the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.

U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.

The Birthplace at UPMC Williamsport earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices, and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

U.S. News also named UPMC Cole and UPMC Wellsboro as 2025 Maternity Care Access Hospitals.

U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals nationwide. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings now recognize hospitals offering essential maternity services to underserved communities. Introduced last year, the Maternity Care Access Hospital designation recognizes essential hospitals serving communities that would be in danger of becoming maternity care deserts if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care services.

Only 14% of all U.S. News evaluated hospitals have been designated as Maternity Care Access Hospitals. Hospitals were evaluated based on detailed data submitted to U.S. News.

“These recognitions are a testament to the dedication of our talented physicians, certified nurse midwives, nurses, and staff, who deliver an excellent birthing experience for our patients and a strong commitment to our region’s expectant parents and their babies,” said Patti Jackson-Gehris, president, UPMC in North Central Pa. “We have the privilege of supporting families as they bring new life into the world, and our teams cherish the opportunities to be a part of these incredible moments. These recognitions are a great honor for our UPMC Magee Womens teams in northcentral Pennsylvania and our partners across UPMC.”