Modesto area has one of nation’s best hospitals for maternity care. Which one?
Looking for the best hospital to deliver a baby? You might not have to look far.
A hospital in the Modesto area was recently named one of the best in the country for maternity care, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The publication released its 2026 list of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care on Dec. 9, highlighting hospitals that “provide high-quality maternity care for uncomplicated pregnancies.”
According to U.S. News, these public ratings are designed to help expectant parents — working alongside their prenatal care providers — make informed decisions about where to deliver their babies.
“Choosing where to welcome a new baby is one of the most personal health care decisions a family makes,” Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News, said in a Dec. 9 news release.
U.S. News began evaluating hospitals with labor and delivery services in 2021. This year, a record 901 hospitals nationwide submitted maternity data for review, U.S. News said.
“Whether your priority is a low C-section rate, strong VBAC support or the availability of a dedicated lactation consultant, U.S. News’ digital hospital profiles offer parents free, transparent information as they choose a hospital for their maternity care,” Winston said.
There’s at least one high-performing hospital for maternity care in almost every state, U.S. News said.
Here’s where to find the top hospital for maternity care in the Modesto area, according to the latest rankings:
Which Modesto-area hospital has the best maternity care?
Kaiser Permanente Modesto and Manteca Medical Centers, 1777 West Yosemite Ave. in Manteca, were ranked among the high-performing hospitals in California for maternity care, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The two facilities share the same license, according to Kaiser Permanente officials. However, maternity and child health services — including labor and delivery — are based at the Modesto location at 4601 Dale Road, Modesto.
“Expecting parents consider many factors in choosing where to have a baby,” U.S. News said. “The services and amenities offered by the hospital, as well as its performance on key measures of safety and quality, are important considerations.”
According to U.S. News, the hospital handles a “relatively high number of births,” which usually means a larger, busier labor and delivery unit with experienced staff who care for many families throughout the year.
The hospital offers childbirth classes, private delivery rooms, a neonatal intensive care unit and support from breastfeeding and lactation consultants.
It also scored highly for limiting unnecessary C-sections, having low rates of newborn complications and maintaining an episiotomy rate of less than 5%.
Kaiser Permanente’s Modesto and Manteca medical centers together have 42 OB-GYNs and 40 pediatricians.
Expectant parents can search online to find an OB-GYN or pediatrician who’s the right fit for them and their newborns.
Which other Central Valley hospitals made the list?
In its 2026 report, U.S. News highlighted 495 hospitals nationwide — including 80 in California — for excellence in labor and delivery care.
These Central Valley hospitals were ranked among the high-performing hospitals for maternity care:
- Adventist Health Bakersfield in Bakersfield
- Bakersfield Memorial Hospital in Bakersfield
- Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno
- Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center in Roseville
- San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp
- Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville
- Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento
- Sutter Tracy Community Hospital in Tracy
How did U.S. News & World Report come up with its findings?
U.S. News & World Report ranked hospitals by looking at how safely and effectively they help deliver babies.
The rankings focus on performance data, such as how often hospitals use C-sections and how frequently newborns have serious complications.
Hospitals were asked to submit data across seven key measures, including C-section rates, successful vaginal births after a previous C-section and episiotomy rates. This year, a record 901 hospitals shared maternity data for review.
U.S. News cross-referenced the information using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Hospitals that performed well across these measures were recognized as high-performing for maternity care, U.S. News said.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
