Olympia area has one of nation’s best hospitals for maternity care. Which one?
If you or someone you know plans to give birth in the Olympia area, here’s some good news.
An Olympia hospital has been named one of the best nationwide for maternity care.
The hospital was among 495 medical care facilities across the country — including eight in Washington state — to earn U.S. News & World Report’s “high performing” designation for maternity care involving uncomplicated pregnancies.
“These public ratings assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity care for uncomplicated births,” U.S. News said in a news release on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Which Olympia hospital is best for maternity care?
Providence St. Peter Hospital, 413 Lilly Road NE in Olympia, made U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 list of the best hospitals in the country for maternity care, the publication said.
U.S. News pointed to the Olympia hospital’s high breast milk feeding rate and its low rate of severe newborn complications and episiotomies.
The publication praised Providence St. Peter Hospital for its efforts to avoid unnecessary Caesarean sections and support for vaginal births after C-sections, as well as reporting on outcome disparities.
U.S. News also noted that the Olympia hospital “met criteria to be recognized as birthing-friendly because it participated in a quality improvement collaborative and implemented patient safety practices in order to improve maternal outcomes.”
U.S. News highlighted several maternity services provided at Providence St. Peter Hospital, including childbirth classes, immersive tub hydrotherapy, breastfeeding and lactation consulting, and perinatal depression screening and help.
Olympia hospital has ‘long history’ of maternity care
This is Providence St. Peter Hospital’s second consecutive year receiving U.S. News & World Report’s “high performing” designation for maternity care, Dr. Melissa Grant, the hospital’s chief medical officer, said in a statement.
“Providence has a long history of providing high-quality, family-centered maternity care in the South Sound region,” said Grant, an obstetrician and gynecologist.
A total of 1,963 babies were born at Providence St. Peter Hospital in 2024, and 632 at Providence Centralia Hospital, Grant said.
“Our health system is proud of the role it plays in providing these important services to women and families throughout Thurston and Lewis counties,” Grant said.
Providence St. Peter Hospital recently received a “C” grade for safety from The Leapfrog Group, which issues grades to hospitals twice a year, The Olympian previously reported.
In a response at the time, Providence officials said the hospital’s commitment to safety and high-quality care is unwavering, adding that Leapfrog’s methodology and grading don’t “fully reflect the breadth and depth of” continuous safety and quality advancements.
Which Washington hospitals are the best for maternity care?
These eight Washington hospitals ranked among the best in the country for maternity care, according to U.S. News & World Report:
- Overlake Medical Center & Clinics in Bellevue
- Providence Regional Medical Center Everett
- Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia
- St. Anne Hospital in Burien
- St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way
- St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma
- St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale
- Swedish Issaquah
How did U.S. News come up with its rating?
U.S. News said it largely used data reported by hospitals in its best hospitals for maternity care rating.
The data ranged from C-section and vaginal birth after C-section rates to birthing-friendly practices, the publication said.
More than 900 hospitals submitted data to be evaluated, according to U.S. News.
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