UConn Health

June 5, 2025 | Jennifer Walker

UConn Health Named One of Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals

UConn Health has once again earned national recognition, this time as one of Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals. The honor celebrates the dedication of our providers, nurses, and staff who go above and beyond to ensure every patient receives safe, expert, and compassionate care. For families like Rebecca’s, that commitment isn’t just recognized,it’s deeply personal.

Rebecca Farrah and her husband

Rebecca Farrah and her husband with baby Hank

logo for america's best maternity hospital UConn Health has been recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals, an honor that reflects our unwavering commitment to providing expert, compassionate care for every birth story. For patients like Rebecca, that distinction is more than a badge it’s a lifeline and a home away from home.

Rebecca’s journey with UConn Health began when she was just 15 years old, coming for routine OB/GYN care. Over the years, she built lasting relationships with providers and nurses, choosing to deliver all four of her children here. Each birth was different, but all were marked by exceptional care, compassion, and dedication.

“It’s a joy to have a baby here,” Rebecca says. “Everyone is so wonderful, even the parking attendants are warm and welcoming.”

Her fourth pregnancy tested her strength in a way the others hadn’t. At just 30 weeks, her water broke unexpectedly. She came in to be tested, and it was Jackie, a nurse she’ll never forget, who gently confirmed that she would need to stay.

“There was this huge wave of emotions,” Rebecca recalls. “I wasn’t expecting to be admitted, and suddenly everything changed.”

rebecca farrah and her family
Rebecca and her family celebrated two of her children’s birthdays during her stay at UConn Health.

That night began a month-long stay at UConn John Dempsey Hospital. Rebecca received antibiotics, IV steroids to help her baby’s lungs develop, and a magnesium drip to calm the early contractions. The first couple of weeks were a rollercoaster, with close monitoring by the maternal-fetal medicine team and daily ups and downs.

But slowly, things stabilized. The baby was thriving, and so was Rebecca,with the help of a team she now considers family. Dr. Christopher Morosky would pop in to talk through any questions or concerns. Nurse Ellen was always a steady, supportive presence. Even her fellow nurses and doctors made sure her family felt included, her children celebrated not one, but two birthdays at the hospital during her stay.

“Lina Godfrey even brought me a yoga mat so I could do yoga in my room,” Rebecca says with a smile. “It helped me stay grounded. They made me feel like I wasn’t just a patient, I was part of a community.”

“Our multidisciplinary approach ensures that we are caring for the whole patient and treating them as a whole person,” says Lina Godfrey, nurse manager, Labor and Deliver/OB at UConn John Dempsey Hospital.

Rebecca and baby Hank

On a Friday morning at 34 weeks and 1 day, Rebecca was induced. At 10:21 p.m., Hank William entered the world at 4 pounds, 8 ounces, and absolutely perfect. He was taken to the NICU for feeding support, where he quickly began taking full bottles and breast feeding like a champ.

“Being away from my husband and three kids for a month was incredibly hard,” Rebecca reflects. “But the staff here made it easier than I ever imagined. I’ll never forget their kindness.”

From advanced clinical care to simple, thoughtful gestures, UConn Health’s maternity team delivers not only babies, but comfort, dignity, and joy. The Newsweek recognition is a proud milestone, but for Rebecca and families like hers, it just confirms what they already know:

UConn Health is the best place to start—or grow—a family.