Where to Give Birth in Iowa (2026): Hospitals Compared with CMS Data
Data as of 2026-08-13 (CMS hospital data); 09/30/2025 (patient-experience survey end date). Hospital quality & Birthing-Friendly data: CMS Care Compare, released 2026-08-13. Patient-experience data (HCAHPS): CMS, survey period 10/01/2024–09/30/2025. This page does not update automatically — see “How we built this page” below for the refresh cadence.
Medical disclaimer. This page compares publicly reported federal data. It is not medical advice and is not a recommendation of any hospital, provider, or birth plan. CMS does not currently publish a hospital-level cesarean-delivery rate or severe-maternal-complication rate, so this page cannot show either — no other source on this page fills that gap. Talk to your OB, midwife, or family doctor about which hospital is right for a specific pregnancy, especially a high-risk one, and ask directly about the hospital’s neonatal/NICU level of care.
Iowa has 86 hospitals that provide labor and delivery care, spread across 79 cities. This page compares them on two things: whether CMS has designated the hospital Birthing-Friendly, and the hospital’s overall CMS star rating. Twenty-six hospitals in Iowa were excluded from this comparison because CMS’s current data marks them as not providing inpatient labor and delivery care.
86
Hospitals providing labor & delivery
39
Birthing-Friendly designated (45.3%)
51
Have a published CMS star rating (59.3%)
35
Not rated by CMS
26 hospitals on Iowa’s general acute-care/critical-access hospital list were excluded because CMS’s current data marks them as not providing inpatient labor & delivery care.
Every hospital in Iowa that provides labor & delivery care
| Hospital | Location | CMS Overall Rating | Birthing-Friendly | Maternal safety bundle adopted | Patient experience (HCAHPS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County Memorial Hospital | Atlantic, Cass County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 80% would definitely recommend |
| Chi Health Mercy Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | Yes | Yes | 2/5 stars · 63% would definitely recommend |
| Clarke County Hospital | Osceola, Clarke County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 83% would definitely recommend |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital And Clinics | West Union, Fayette County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 75% would definitely recommend |
| Van Diest Medical Center | Webster City, Hamilton County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 84% would definitely recommend |
| Waverly Health Center | Waverly, Bremer County | ★★★★★ 5/5 | Yes | Yes | 5/5 stars · 81% would definitely recommend |
| Clarinda Regional Health Center | Clarinda, Page County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 78% would definitely recommend |
| Compass Memorial Healthcare | Marengo, Iowa County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 83% would definitely recommend |
| Mahaska Health Partnership | Oskaloosa, Mahaska County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 79% would definitely recommend |
| Mary Greeley Medical Center | Ames, Story County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 82% would definitely recommend |
| Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids | Cedar Rapids, Linn County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 81% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Clinton Medical Center | Clinton, Clinton County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 64% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center | Waterloo, Black Hawk County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 65% would definitely recommend |
| Pella Regional Health Center | Pella, Marion County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | No | Not reported | 4/5 stars · 79% would definitely recommend |
| Regional Health Services Of Howard County | Cresco, Howard County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 67% would definitely recommend |
| Regional Medical Center | Manchester, Delaware County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 80% would definitely recommend |
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center | West Burlington, Des Moines County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 2/5 stars · 56% would definitely recommend |
| Spencer Municipal Hospital | Spencer, Clay County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 81% would definitely recommend |
| St Lukes Hospital | Cedar Rapids, Linn County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 79% would definitely recommend |
| University Of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down | Iowa City, Johnson County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 69% would definitely recommend |
| Virginia Gay Hospital | Vinton, Benton County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 77% would definitely recommend |
| Winnmed | Decorah, Winneshiek County | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 79% would definitely recommend |
| Allen Hospital | Waterloo, Black Hawk County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 70% would definitely recommend |
| Broadlawns Medical Center | Des Moines, Polk County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 77% would definitely recommend |
| Finley Hospital | Dubuque, Dubuque County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 72% would definitely recommend |
| Floyd County Medical Center | Charles City, Floyd County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 81% would definitely recommend |
| Floyd Valley Healthcare | Le Mars, Plymouth County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 68% would definitely recommend |
| Greater Regional Medical Center | Creston, Union County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 68% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center | Dubuque, Dubuque County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 77% would definitely recommend |
| Methodist Jennie Edmundson | Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 73% would definitely recommend |
| Mitchell County Regional Health | Osage, Mitchell County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 76% would definitely recommend |
| Myrtue Medical Center | Harlan, Shelby County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 76% would definitely recommend |
| Orange City Area Health System | Orange City, Sioux County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 90% would definitely recommend |
| Trinity – Bettendorf | Bettendorf, Scott County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 69% would definitely recommend |
| Unitypoint Health – Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi | Des Moines, Polk County | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 70% would definitely recommend |
| Avera Holy Family Hospital | Estherville, Emmet County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 81% would definitely recommend |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | Storm Lake, Buena Vista County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 80% would definitely recommend |
| Cherokee Regional Medical Center | Cherokee, Cherokee County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 68% would definitely recommend |
| Crawford County Memorial Hospital | Denison, Crawford County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 57% would definitely recommend |
| Genesis Medical Center-Davenport | Davenport, Scott County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 2/5 stars · 58% would definitely recommend |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center | Grinnell, Poweshiek County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 71% would definitely recommend |
| Knoxville Hospital & Clinics | Knoxville, Marion County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | No | Not reported | Not reported · 85% would definitely recommend |
| Lakes Regional Healthcare | Spirit Lake, Dickinson County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 5/5 stars · 81% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, Cerro Gordo County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 2/5 stars · 57% would definitely recommend |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center | Ottumwa, Wapello County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 1/5 stars · 41% would definitely recommend |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home | Carroll, Carroll County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | No | Not reported | 4/5 stars · 80% would definitely recommend |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center | Sioux City, Woodbury County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 71% would definitely recommend |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center | Fort Dodge, Webster County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 55% would definitely recommend |
| University Of Iowa Hospital & Clinics | Iowa City, Johnson County | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | Yes | Yes | 3/5 stars · 74% would definitely recommend |
| Kossuth Regional Health Center | Algona, Kossuth County | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 87% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center | Des Moines, Polk County | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | Yes | Yes | 2/5 stars · 57% would definitely recommend |
| Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital | Rock Rapids, Lyon County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Boone County Hospital | Boone, Boone County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 69% would definitely recommend |
| Buchanan County Health Center | Independence, Buchanan County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 91% would definitely recommend |
| Community Memorial Hospital Medical Center | Sumner, Bremer County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Davis County Hospital | Bloomfield, Davis County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 91% would definitely recommend |
| Decatur County Hospital | Leon, Decatur County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 77% would definitely recommend |
| George C Grape Community Hospital | Hamburg, Fremont County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, Greene County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 82% would definitely recommend |
| Grundy County Memorial Hospital | Grundy Center, Grundy County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 89% would definitely recommend |
| Guthrie County Hospital | Guthrie Center, Guthrie County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 80% would definitely recommend |
| Guttenberg Municipal Hospital | Guttenberg, Clayton County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 87% would definitely recommend |
| Hansen Family Hospital | Iowa Falls, Hardin County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Hawarden Regional Healthcare | Hawarden, Sioux County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 88% would definitely recommend |
| Hegg Memorial Health Center | Rock Valley, Sioux County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 68% would definitely recommend |
| Horn Memorial Hospital | Ida Grove, Ida County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Humboldt County Memorial Hospital | Humboldt, Humboldt County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 68% would definitely recommend |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital – Clarion | Clarion, Wright County | Not rated | Yes | Yes | 4/5 stars · 83% would definitely recommend |
| Loring Hospital | Sac City, Sac County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Lucas County Health Center | Chariton, Lucas County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 80% would definitely recommend |
| Madison County Health Care System | Winterset, Madison County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 94% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Centerville Medical Center | Centerville, Appanoose County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 77% would definitely recommend |
| Mercyone Elkader Medical Center | Elkader, Clayton County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Monroe County Hospital | Albia, Monroe County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 93% would definitely recommend |
| Montgomery County Memorial Hospital | Red Oak, Montgomery County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 70% would definitely recommend |
| Osceola Community Hospital | Sibley, Osceola County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Palo Alto County Hospital | Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County | Not rated | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 84% would definitely recommend |
| Pocahontas Community Hospital | Pocahontas, Pocahontas County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Ringgold County Hospital | Mount Ayr, Ringgold County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 82% would definitely recommend |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center | Sheldon, Obrien County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 72% would definitely recommend |
| Shenandoah Medical Center | Shenandoah, Page County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 73% would definitely recommend |
| Sioux Center Health | Sioux Center, Sioux County | Not rated | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 83% would definitely recommend |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital | Lake City, Calhoun County | Not rated | Yes | Yes | Not reported · 83% would definitely recommend |
| Story County Hospital | Nevada, Story County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · Not reported would definitely recommend |
| Veterans Memorial Hospital | Waukon, Allamakee County | Not rated | No | Not reported | 5/5 stars · 84% would definitely recommend |
| Wayne County Hospital | Corydon, Wayne County | Not rated | No | Not reported | Not reported · 87% would definitely recommend |
What CMS does not tell you
CMS has not published a hospital-level cesarean-delivery rate or a severe-maternal-complication rate in its current data release, and that is true nationwide, not specific to Iowa, so this page cannot show either number for any hospital listed. A state-level NICU or perinatal level-of-care listing is also left off this page because it could not be verified against a current, authoritative source for Iowa.
How we built this page
This list was built by filtering CMS Hospital Type to Acute Care Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals, then excluding any hospital whose CMS Maternal Morbidity Structural Measure (SM_7) is marked “Not Applicable (does not provide inpatient labor/delivery care).”
Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Hospital General Information and Maternal Health – Hospital datasets, data.cms.gov. File released 2026-08-13. Maternal-health measurement period: calendar year 2024.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) patient-experience survey, data.cms.gov. Measurement period 10/01/2024–09/30/2025.
