Five IU Health hospitals Named Among U.S. News & World Report’s Fifth Annual 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care

INDIANAPOLIS – U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named five Indiana University Health hospitals as a 2026 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care.

• IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
• IU Health Bloomington Hospital
• IU Health Paoli Hospital
• IU Health Medical Center (Maternity Tower at Riley Hospital for Children)
• IU Health West Hospital

This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study, now in its fifth edition.

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. For the 2026 edition, approximately 900 hospitals nationwide submitted maternity data for evaluation. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings are intended to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their family’s needs.

Each of the five above-named hospitals earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and birthing-friendly practices, among other measures.

“We at Riley Hospital for Children, and the four other IU Health hospitals are incredibly proud to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This distinction reflects the dedication of our entire system in providing exceptional care to expectant families,” said Dr. Christina Scifres, division director of maternal-fetal medicine at Riley Children’s Health. “All of us are committed to creating a supportive, safe, and welcoming environment for all mothers and babies. Our focus on quality outcomes, from reducing unnecessary C-sections to promoting breastfeeding, is just one way we strive to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of our community.”

“Hospitals designated as a U.S. News Best Hospital for Maternity Care are national leaders. This recognition means they are consistently hitting crucial patient safety benchmarks compared to other hospitals,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “It's a clear signal to expectant parents about where the highest standards of care are being practiced – when parents see this designation, they can be assured they are choosing a hospital dedicated to exceptional, evidence-based maternity care.”