Best Hospitals to Give Birth in California (2026)
Compare 315 hospitals in California by CMS quality rating and Birthing Friendly designation status. Find the safest place to deliver your baby.
315Hospitals
193Birthing Friendly
61%Certified Rate
Top Birthing Friendly Hospitals in California
Hospitals below have earned the CMS Birthing Friendly Designation and are sorted by CMS overall quality rating.
✓ Birthing Friendly
Sutter Lakeside Hospital
📍 Lakeport, CA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Peninsula Medical Center
📍 Burlingame, CA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Woodland Memorial Hospital
📍 Woodland, CA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Dominican Hospital
📍 Santa Cruz, CA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
📍 Santa Barbara, CA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Sequoia Hospital
📍 Redwood City, CA
All Hospitals in California
Find Birthing-Friendly Hospitals Near You
Search 4,400+ hospitals ranked by CMS quality data. Filter to see which hospitals have earned the federal Birthing Friendly Designation.
What is a Birthing Friendly hospital? It's a federal quality designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), awarded to hospitals that follow evidence-based maternity care practices and participate in national safety quality programs.
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Data source: CMS Hospital Compare — updated quarterly. 2026.
Maternity Care in California
Birthing Friendly Certification Rate
61%
of California hospitals have earned the CMS Birthing Friendly designation, compared to a national average of ~50%.
What to Know
When choosing a hospital in California, prioritize hospitals with the Birthing Friendly designation, a 4-5 star CMS rating, and an on-site OB 24/7. Call ahead to ask about C-section rates and VBAC policies.
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