17 Minnesota hospitals named in list of best places in US to have a baby

Seventeen Minnesota hospitals have been named among the best places in the country to have a baby, according to a list published this week.

The Women's Choice Award on Tuesday released the names of 431 hospitals it considers to be the best in the country for obstetrics care, which is based on patient recommendations reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Hospitals also scored well for having a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) on-site, low rates of early elective deliveries, as well as being above the national average for patient safety.

The Minnesota hospitals that made the list include Abbott Northwestern in south Minneapolis, Maple Grove Hospital, Regions Hospital in St. Paul and St. Cloud Hospital.

Here's the list, courtesy of The Women's Choice Award.

(NOTE: Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Fairview Northland Medical Center in Princeton and the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis are also included in the top 431, but haven't been uploaded on The Women's Choice Award website.)

"New moms have many choices when it comes to having their baby, so choosing the best birthing experience is right up there with choosing the best doctor. We've made it easy for moms to vet out the hospitals that are proven to deliver an outstanding experience," Delia Passi, CEO and Founder of the Women's Choice Award, said in a news release.

Of the Minnesota hospitals in the 432 best for OB care, six of them are considered "small" hospitals – having fewer than 100 beds. Four of them are XL, having more than 400 beds.

According to 2014 figures presented by CesareanRates.com, Abbott Northwestern and Maple Grove Hospital handled the most births out of 49 hospitals in Minnesota, with 4,888 and 3,933 babies born in each of them, respectively.

The Minnesota Parent has a list of things expectant parents look for before deciding which hospital to have their baby in. These include the hospital's cesarean rate, whether baths are available for pain management/water births, whether you're allowed to move freely during labor, their reputation among people you know and the family doctor, and whether doulas are welcome.