At least 120 hospitals nationwide have childbirth complication rates that are two times higher than other hospitals, according to an investigative report from USA Today.
Three things to know:
1. USA Today reviewed billing data from 13 states to identify severe childbirth complications among 7 million births between 2014-17. The publication calculated complication rates for 1,027 hospitals using a CDC-developed formula.
2. Most hospitals had childbirth complication rates of less than 1.5 percent. However, 120 hospitals — about 1 in 8 included in the analysis — had complication rates two times that of a typical hospital, USA Today found.
3. The 120 hospitals vary in type, size and location. Some treat a predominantly low-income patient population where women lack regular access to prenatal care and come to the hospital with existing medical conditions. However, others are community hospitals in areas where routine births are common.