West Orange, N.J, (December 9, 2025) – This year, yet another RWJBarnabas Health maternity hospital has been added to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care - marking seven added to the ranks of High Performing.
U.S. News & World Report is the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice and this is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of the annual maternity care study. Now in its fifth year, a record number—approximately 900 hospitals nationwide—submitted maternity data for evaluation.
Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City has joined its sister RWJBarnabas Health maternity hospitals that have once again have been recognized as High Performing, including Community Medical Center in Toms River, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth. High-Performing Hospitals demonstrated strong performance on key maternity indicators, including C-section rates among lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and birthing-friendly practices such as rooming-in and midwifery access.
“This recognition is a testament to the expertise, compassion, and dedication of our maternity teams across the state,” said Suzanne Spernal, senior vice president of women’s services at RWJBarnabas Health. “We are proud that so many of our hospitals have earned the highest designation possible and continue to deliver safe, evidence-based care to mothers, babies, and families in our communities.”
Through its award-winning maternity hospitals, RWJBarnabas Health proudly delivers the most babies in New Jersey. This past summer, the RWJBarnabas Health Maternal Health Peer Recovery Program was recognized for its commitment to improving maternal health by addressing perinatal substance use disorders. The pioneering RWJBarnabas Health Center for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders has helped thousands of moms and families navigate the mental health challenges that can be associated with pregnancy and the first year following delivery. The RWJBarnabas Health maternity hospitals were also among the first in the state to implement structured, evidence-based care models, such as TeamBirth NJ and Centering Pregnancy, to support healthy moms, babies and families throughout the pregnancy 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.”
Learn more about RWJBarnabas Health Maternity Centers and use #BestMaternityHospitals on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X.
For more information about U.S. News Best Hospital For Maternity Care, visit Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes, 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
About U.S. News & World Report
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.
Media Contact:
Carrie Cristello
908-347-3157
carrie.cristello@rwjbh.org