University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center Named Among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Maternity Care for 2026

Chardon, Ohio – U.S. News & World Report has named UH Geauga Medical Center a High Performing hospital in Maternity Care for 2026. This designation – the highest possible recognition in the annual Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings – highlights the hospital’s exceptional outcomes and commitment to safe, evidence-based care for expectant families.

Now in its fifth year, the U.S. News maternity care evaluation assesses hospitals providing labor and delivery services and voluntarily submit comprehensive clinical data. For the 2026 rankings, approximately 900 hospitals nationwide participated. The ratings are designed to help expectant parents, in partnership with their prenatal care providers, make informed decisions about where to receive maternity services based on quality and safety.

UH Geauga Medical Center earned its High Performing rating based on strong performance across multiple measures, including low C-section rates among lower-risk pregnancies, low rates of unexpected newborn complications, high exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and the implementation of birthing-friendly practices.

“Being recognized as a High Performing hospital for maternity care is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to the families we serve,” says Stephanie Teal, MD, MPH, Chair, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Obstetrician/Gynecologist-in-Chief, UH. “Every birth is a profound moment, and the labor and delivery team works tirelessly to ensure parents feel supported, informed, and safe from the moment they arrive through the first hours of life with their newborn. This recognition from U.S. News affirms the exceptional care we strive to deliver every single day.”

UH Geauga Medical Center, a campus of UH Regional Hospitals, offers family-centered childbirth through a single-room maternity care model. This approach allows mothers and families to remain in one private, comfortable room throughout labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care. The unit also includes surgical suites for C-sections and higher-risk deliveries.

The maternity team includes board-certified obstetricians, midwives, specialized nurses, and pediatricians providing comprehensive support before, during, and after birth. An in-house obstetrician is available 24/7, and the team’s commitment to quality is reflected in a consistently low C-section rate – one of the lowest in Northeast Ohio.

“Receiving this recognition is truly an honor for our entire Labor & Delivery team,” says Natalina Andreani, MD, medical director of Labor and Delivery at UH Geauga. “Every day, we have the privilege of caring for moms and babies during one of the most meaningful moments of their lives. Our team’s commitment to safety, compassion, and personalized care is at the heart of everything we do.”

UH Geauga is also proud to offer TeamBirth, an innovative care model that ensures every mother has a voice in her birth experience. Through structured communication and collaboration, the patient, her support team, and clinical staff work together to set expectations, discuss progress, and make informed decisions throughout the childbirth journey.

“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.”

This recognition adds to several recent honors across the UH health system. UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital was once again named among the nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals in the 2025–2026 U.S. News rankings, placing in the top 50 in all 11 pediatric specialties, seven of which ranked in the top 25. UH Rainbow stands at #3 in both Ohio and the Midwest. Additionally, this past summer UH Cleveland Medical Center was named to U.S. News’ Best Hospitals list for the 27th consecutive year.