Thousands of New Yorkers—more than 21,000 in fact—each year begin their lives in an HHC hospital. Mothers who choose to deliver their baby with us are cared for by experienced medical teams in cheerful, completely modernized birthing centers. Labor and Delivery Suites at several HHC facilities, feature the latest medical technology to protect mother and baby during the birth process. Features include comfortable beds, computers, room for family members to share the occasion and even Jacuzzis at some facilities help to minimize labor pains.

HHC’s expertise in providing expert care to mothers and their infants is recognized by the New York State Health Department, which designates hospitals to provide different levels of care, depending upon the level of risk that is present in any pregnancy.

Bellevue Hospital Center and Jacobi Medical Center are designated as Regional Perinatal Centers, the highest state designation. RPC's make available all the services and expertise required by the most acutely sick or at-risk pregnant women and newborns. They coordinate transfers of high-risk patients from other hospitals to their facilities and are responsible for the support, education, consultation and improvements in the quality of care in the affiliate hospitals within their region.

Lincoln, Kings County, Woodhull, Harlem, Metropolitan, Elmhurst and Queens hospitals are all state-designated Level III Perinatal Centers, providing complex care and operating neonatal intensive care units (NICU) to meet the needs of fragile newborns who require special attention. HHC is continually upgrading these services, to insure that mothers and newborns have the benefit of the most recent research findings in perinatal and neonatal care. Our hospitals handle a disproportionate number of New York City’s high risk pregnancies and approximately 20% of all babies born in HHC hospitals require care in one of our Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Coney Island and North Central Bronx hospitals are Level II hospitals with provide care to mothers and newborns at moderate risk for complications from childbirth.

Click here for a list of HHC hospitals, all of which provide expert Labor and Delivery services.