Florida is home to 13 hospitals recognized among the nation’s best for maternity care in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings, with five singled out as essential providers in communities at risk of becoming “maternity care deserts.”
The goal of the rankings, in their fifth year, is to help expectant parents make informed decisions in consultation with their prenatal care providers, according to U.S. News.
The report distinguishes between two types of recognition. “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” for uncomplicated pregnancy were evaluated based on objective metrics such as C-section rates, severe unexpected newborn complications and breastfeeding support. “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” were the only facilities providing maternity services in their community and are essential to maintaining local access for expectant parents.
Three Florida hospitals appear on both lists: Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, NCH Baker Hospital in Naples and Parrish Medical Center in Titusville.
These Florida hospitals were recognized as best for maternity care:
- AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando
- AdventHealth Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Miramar Beach
- Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County, Middleburg
- Ascension St. Vincent’s Southside, Jacksonville
- Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton
- Broward Health Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale
- Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital, Stuart
- Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Lakeland
- NCH Baker Hospital, Naples
- Parrish Medical Center, Titusville
- UF Health Jacksonville, Jacksonville
- University of Florida Health, Gainesville
These hospitals were recognized for maternity care access:
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Miramar Beach
- Orlando Health South Lake Hospital, Clermont
- NCH Baker Hospital, Naples
- Parrish Medical Center, Titusville
- Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Vero Beach
Jennifer Winston, a health data scientist at U.S. News, said the rankings are based on objective measures of quality.
“Parents can use these ratings to compare hospitals in their community, including C-section rates, severe unexpected newborn complications, availability of lactation consultants, NICU services, and midwife or doula support,” Winston said.
In Florida, metro areas with Best Hospitals for Maternity Care include Miami-Fort Lauderdale (two hospitals), Lakeland (one), Orlando (one), Palm Bay-Melbourne (one) and Tampa-St. Petersburg (one).
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Many of the state’s top hospitals also meet the “baby friendly” designation, reflecting best practices in supporting breastfeeding and maternal care.
Nationally, a record 901 hospitals submitted maternity data to U.S. News in 2026. Of these, 495 earned “best” recognition and 147 were designated “access” hospitals.
Access hospitals are on average more than 22 miles from the next nearest maternity provider, highlighting their importance in preventing gaps in care.
California leads the nation with 80 hospitals rated best for maternity care, followed by Texas (31), New Jersey (27), New York (25), Illinois (23) and North Carolina (22).
At the other end of the spectrum, several smaller or less-populated states — including Delaware, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont — have no hospitals on the “best” list.
Florida ranks among the states with the most recognized maternity care providers, reflecting its large population and extensive health care infrastructure.
Expectant parents can review detailed performance metrics and hospital services online at health.usnews.com to help choose the facility that best fits their needs.
U.S. News said families should use the rankings in consultation with their health care providers when making care decisions.
Click here to review more details from U.S. News & World Report.
