Eleven Mercy hospitals across four states were recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice. This recognition continues a tradition of compassionate care for women and children that began nearly 200 years ago with the Sisters of Mercy.
Mercy hospitals that earned the 2026 Maternity Care Access Hospitals rating include:
- Kansas: Pittsburg
- Missouri: Aurora, Jefferson and Washington
- Oklahoma: Ardmore
Now in its third year, the Maternity Care Access Hospital designation recognizes essential hospitals that offer maternity services to underserved communities that would otherwise be in danger of becoming maternity care deserts if they were to stop providing crucial maternity care services. Based on the 900 hospitals that submitted data to U.S. News, just 147 hospitals – or 16% of all evaluated hospitals – were designated as Maternity Care Access Hospitals. The designation is also part of U.S. News' Best Hospitals for Maternity Care ratings.
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.
“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.”
For more information, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X.
