U.S. News & World Report has named Loma Linda University Medical Center–Murrieta as a 2025 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 study.

LLUMC–Murrieta earned a High Performing designation in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as severe unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices, and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

“This recognition honors our labor and delivery team for the outstanding compassion and care they provide for expectant mothers and their newborns right here in Southwest Riverside County,” said Jonathan Jean-Marie, FACHE, administrator of LLUMC–Murrieta. “I am proud of our staff for their commitment to their patients, and this national distinction highlights their ongoing, consistent commitment.”

U.S. News began evaluating maternity care hospitals in 2021, rating hospitals that provide labor and delivery services and submit detailed data to the publication for analysis. Best Hospitals for Maternity Care assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity services that best meets their family’s needs.

U.S. News evaluated 817 hospitals from across the United States. Only half of all hospitals evaluated for U.S. News’ 2025 ratings edition have been recognized as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

“The hospitals recognized by U.S. News as Best Hospitals for Maternity Care showcase exceptional care for expectant parents,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News. “These hospitals demonstrate significantly lower C-section rates and severe unexpected newborn complications compared to hospitals not recognized by U.S. News.”

The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based on measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.

The original article was published on the Loma Linda University Health website.