More {{ vm.segmentName}} News
View All {{ vm.segmentName }} News
Mercy Hospital Southeast was recognized as a 2026 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, and is the only hospital in Southeast Missouri to earn the designation.
For the fifth straight year, Mercy Hospital Southeast earned the high-performing designation that measures 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 benchmarks. It 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.
“This designation just reaffirms the excellent care our moms and babies receive every day,” said Britton May, nurse manager of the Mercy Southeast birthplace. “I’m incredibly proud of our caregivers and consistently impressed with their dedication to our moms and babies. They truly work together as a tight-knit team to provide personalized care for each patient.”
Since opening in 1928, Mercy Hospital Southeast has offered uninterrupted obstetrics services, welcoming tens of thousands of babies into the world. Mercy Southeast’s services also include a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a comprehensive lactation program, trial of labor after cesarean birth (TOLAC) and a large team of specialists at Mercy Clinic Women’s Health – 650 S. Mount Auburn in Cape Girardeau.
Mercy Southeast was among eight Mercy hospitals that earned the 2026 High Performing maternity rating, including:
- Missouri: Jefferson, South (St. Louis), St. Louis and Washington
- Arkansas: Northwest Arkansas
- Oklahoma: Ada and Oklahoma City
In 2021, U.S. News began 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 via the annual Maternity Services Survey, with nearly 500 earning High Performing accolades.
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.
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
