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UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center and UVA Health Prince William Medical Center have earned top rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s "2025 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care."

Prince William Medical Center received the highest possible ranking of “High Performing Hospitals.” Culpeper Medical Center and Prince William Medical Center were both awarded the prestigious designation of “Maternity Care Access,” highlighting the medical centers’ commitment to providing superior care for communities with limited access to maternity services. 

“I am incredibly proud to have our teams once again recognized for their hard work and unwavering dedication to providing exceptional healthcare to the families of our communities,” says Michelle Strider, RN, MBA, CPHQ, Chief Nursing Officer of UVA Health’s community medical centers and clinics in northern Virginia and Culpeper. “Our teams consistently give their best in our labor and delivery, mother-baby, and neonatal intensive care units. We are deeply committed to offering the highest level of care in the most advanced community care environments, inspiring hope from the very start for our newest little Virginians.”  

U.S. News evaluates hospitals based on data related to uncomplicated pregnancies, focusing on hospitals with high volumes of births. High-performing hospitals demonstrate lower rates of C-sections, fewer severe newborn complications, reductions in episiotomies, and higher percentages of mothers’ breast feeding. The report also acknowledges the hospitals for offering valuable services such as child birthing classes, lactation consultants, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), immersive hydrotherapy tubs during labor, overnight partner stays, postpartum depression screenings, and more. 

"Rankings only catch a glimpse of the daily exceptional work performed by our maternity teams,” states Keisha Walker, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, UVA Health Prince William Medical Center. “I am incredibly proud of the consistency and dedication our team demonstrates every day, providing care during a time that is both exciting and, at times, overwhelming for our patients and their families. This well-deserved recognition reflects our ongoing mission to deliver superior healthcare to the people of all ages.” 

Prince William Medical Center delivered 1932 babies and admitted 238 babies for care in the Level III NICU in 2024. The unit continues to grow with the addition of two new obstetrics and gynecology providers this month. The NICU provides comprehensive care to babies born before 32 weeks’ gestation or requiring complex care.

Babies are in a 12-bed unit with state-of-the-art technology, supported by an around-the-clock care team of neonatologists. These pediatricians are specially trained to care for premature and ill newborns. The unit continues to grow with the addition of two new obstetrics and gynecology providers this month. 

Culpeper Medical Center delivered more than 600 babies in 2023 and 624 babies in 2024. As the community grows — the demand for additional labor and delivery options, along with pediatric care, continues to rise. While UVA Health continues to optimize the services available to inpatients at the hospital, it continues to expand its clinic services to support expecting mothers and babies.

Recently. a new obstetrics and gynecology provider joined the Culpeper team. In addition, a new UVA Health pediatric care office is slated to start scheduling patients for late January appointments, located below the OB/GYN clinic on Sunset Lane.  

“Working with this dedicated team of labor and delivery care providers is truly a privilege,” says Molly Stolar, Nurse Manager, family birth center at Culpeper Medical Center. “Our team is committed to delivering personalized support and embracing birth plans with empathy and evidence-based practices throughout labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum. We take pride in educating our families so they can make informed decisions and receive continuous support through their new journey.”

The Prince William Medical Center NICU plays a crucial role in the lives of newborns and families in the community, helping the most vulnerable babies have the best chance at a healthy future. The facility has ambitions to expand and renovate the women and children’s center, including labor and delivery, mother/baby and NICU areas.

Philanthropic donations have been a driving force in the creation, and now renovation, of this part of the hospital and remain critical to ensuring the NICU remains a lifeline for the littlest patients. Donations for both the Prince William Medical Center and Culpeper Medical Center women and children’s services are accepted by the UVA Community Health Foundation at uvahealth.com/givehealth.