Tacoma-area hospital ranked among best in nation for maternity care. Which one?
A Tacoma-area hospital is among the best in the nation for maternity care, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The publication recently ranked the best hospitals for maternity care in the United States in 2026, focusing on facilities that “provide high-quality maternity care for uncomplicated pregnancies.”
“Choosing where to welcome a new baby is one of the most personal health care decisions a family makes,” Dr. Jennifer Winston, a health data scientist at U.S. News & World Report, said in a Tuesday, Dec. 9, news release.
Winston said expectant parents can use U.S. News’ health care rankings to “compare key outcomes and support services at maternity hospitals in their area.”
U.S. News recognized a total of 495 “high performing” hospitals across the county — including eight hospitals in Washington state — for their labor and delivery services.
Here’s which Tacoma hospital made the list:
What makes Tacoma hospital among best for maternity care?
St. Joseph Medical Center, 1717 South J St. in Tacoma was among the “high performing” hospitals in the nation for maternity care, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Tacoma hospital offers a variety of services for mothers and infants, U.S. News said, including a neonatal intensive care unit, childbirth classes, in-hospital breastfeeding consultants and postpartum depression screening.
Severe health complications in newborns at the facility were “rare,” the publication said.
U.S. News recognized St. Joseph Medical Center as a “birthing-friendly” facility due to its “commitment to improving maternal outcomes by participating in quality improvement collaboratives” and implementation of “one or more projects related to maternal morbidity to address complications.”
St. Joseph Medical Center is part of the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health system.
“At locations throughout the Puget Sound, our prenatal care professionals work together to deliver exceptional pregnancy services,” Virginia Mason Franciscan Health said on its website. “We look after your health, your baby’s health and your family’s peace of mind.”
Prenatal services at all Virginia Mason hospitals include check-ups, high risk pregnancy evaluation and management plans, genetic counseling, birthing education and deliverly preparation.
“Ensuring access to high-quality care close to home for our patients is our top priority,” Chad Melton, interim president of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health’s Puget Sound Market, said in a statement. “This recognition underscores our longstanding commitment to mothers and babies across the Puget Sound region and the compassion and dedication of our front-line teams.”
St. Joseph Medical Center earned an ‘A’ for patient safety — the highest grade possible — in The Leapfrog Group’s fall 2025 hospital safety report, The News Tribune previously reported.
Which other Washington hospitals made the list?
Seven other Washington hospitals made U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 lists of the best options for maternity care.
They were:
- Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett
- Providence St. Peter’s Hospital in Olympia
- Overlake Medical Center & Clinics in Bellevue
- St. Michael’s Medical Center in Silverlake
- Swedish Issaquah Hospital in Issaquah
- St. Anne Hospital in Burien
- St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way
U.S. News also recognized a total of 147 hospitals offering services to underserved communities, featuring three Washington hospitals on its 2026 Maternity Care Access Hospitals list.
How did U.S. News & World Report rank hospitals?
To rank the best hospitals for maternity care in the United States, U.S. News & World Report said it looked at “objective measures of quality,” including C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates and breast milk feeding rates.