Washington Regional Named a Best Hospital for Maternity Care for a Fourth Consecutive Year

• Published: 12/9/2025

For a fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named Washington Regional a High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual survey. The ratings help expectant parents and their care team make informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meet their needs. 


Washington Regional earned a High Performing designation based on objective measures including C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, and birthing-friendly practices. U.S. News, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, evaluated 901 hospitals nationwide. Only 495 achieved a High Performing designation.

“Washington Regional is proud to once again be named a High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care. This achievement underscores our commitment to providing exceptional care during one of life’s most meaningful experiences,” said Washington Regional President and CEO Larry Shackelford. “Washington Regional Women and Infants Center team members make maternity care their top priority every day. Their expertise and dedication ensure that mothers and newborns receive safe, compassionate care right here in Northwest Arkansas.”

The Washington Regional Women and Infants Center is committed to serving families with dedicated labor and delivery and mother/baby units, the region’s largest neonatal intensive care unit, the area’s only Ronald McDonald House, an infant nutrition lab, human milk depot location, two leading women’s health clinics and a maternal fetal medicine clinic.

“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.