Best Hospitals to Give Birth in Iowa (2026)
Compare 112 hospitals in Iowa by CMS quality rating and Birthing Friendly designation status. Find the safest place to deliver your baby.
112Hospitals
39Birthing Friendly
35%Certified Rate
Top Birthing Friendly Hospitals in Iowa
Hospitals below have earned the CMS Birthing Friendly Designation and are sorted by CMS overall quality rating.
✓ Birthing Friendly
Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center
📍 Dubuque, IA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Spencer Municipal Hospital
📍 Spencer, IA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center
📍 Waterloo, IA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Finley Hospital
📍 Dubuque, IA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Mercyone Clinton Medical Center
📍 Clinton, IA
✓ Birthing Friendly
Grinnell Regional Medical Center
📍 Grinnell, IA
All Hospitals in Iowa
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 Iowa
Birthing Friendly Certification Rate
35%
of Iowa hospitals have earned the CMS Birthing Friendly designation, compared to a national average of ~50%.
What to Know
When choosing a hospital in Iowa, 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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