While hospitals have made strides in improving some aspects of maternity care, cesarean section rates remain high nationally, according to Leapfrog’s 2025 Maternity Care Report.
The report, published March 25, is based on data voluntarily reported by more than 1,700 hospitals through the 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, representing roughly 80% of inpatient beds.
While C-section rates for low-risk, first-time mothers rates began to decline in 2020, they worsened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and have since stagnated, according to the report. In 2024, the national average rate was 25.3% — above Leapfrog’s national benchmark, which has not been achieved since the patient safety group began publicly reporting the metric in 2015.
Four more findings from the report:
- One in 5 hospitals reported disparities in C-section rates between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White patients.
- The national average episiotomy rate has fallen 73% since Leapfrog began reporting on the measure in 2012. In 2024, the average rate was 3.4%.
- Nearly 86% of hospitals reported having policies in place to prevent early elective deliveries, while 14% did not. Early elective deliveries refer to those that are scheduled before 39 weeks without a medical necessity, often leading to longer hospital stays and higher costs.
- Most hospitals offer evidence-based services known to improve outcomes and experience for patients, such as access to doulas (89.7%); lactation consultants (96.1%); and vaginal birth after a C-section (84.1%).
“We congratulate hospitals on reducing episiotomy rates, which has made a difference for thousands of women and babies,” Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog, said in a news release. “However, we urge renewed efforts to lower C-section rates and continue improving maternity care for all patients.”
