Foothills Hospital recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report

Choosing the right place to welcome your baby starts with confidence in your maternity care. Once again, Boulder Community Health’s (BCH) Foothills Hospital has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as High Performing in Maternity Care, earning national recognition for safety, quality and patient-centered care.

U.S. News evaluates hospitals on key measures that matter most to expectant parents, including C-section rates, severe newborn complications, breastfeeding outcomes and patient safety practices. Hospitals recognized as High Performing meet rigorous standards for caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies.

Foothills Hospital stands out for its strong outcomes and comprehensive maternity services, including:

• A low episiotomy rate, with fewer than 5% of births requiring the procedure.
• Strong breastfeeding support, with 93.4% of babies exclusively breastfed or receiving breast milk during their hospital stay – well above state and national averages.
• Excellent performance in minimizing avoidable C-sections, with fewer than 23.6% of first-time, low-risk, full-term births delivered by Cesarean section.
• Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) support that exceeds the state average by 11.5%.
• Baby-Friendly designation from Baby-Friendly USA, reflecting a commitment to evidence-based maternity and infant care.

Those who deliver at Foothills Hospital also benefit from private rooms, overnight stays for partners, optional immersive tub hydrotherapy during labor, on-site Special Care Nursery (SCN) services, and access to lactation consultants both in the hospital and at home after discharge. The hospital also offers comprehensive perinatal and postpartum depression screening and support through the first year after birth.

Foothills Hospital has also been recognized as Birthing-Friendly, reflecting its participation in quality improvement collaboratives and implementation of patient safety initiatives aimed at improving maternal outcomes. In addition, the hospital tracks and reports outcome disparities for C-sections and severe unexpected newborn complications, reinforcing a commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.

Foothills Hospital offers families a wide range of expertise to support both parents and newborns from delivery through early childhood.

Congratulations to the Family Birth Center team at Foothills Hospital for this continued national recognition and their dedication to providing safe, compassionate and high-quality maternity care.