Hospitals to give birth in Phoenix, AZ

The Phoenix-area hospitals with the deepest labor and delivery resources are Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, the two delivering hospitals the Arizona Perinatal Trust certifies at its highest level (IV). St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea and HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing were the only Arizona hospitals rated "High Performing" for maternity care by U.S. News for 2026. For a healthy pregnancy, the right choice usually comes down to where your OB or midwife delivers, your insurance, and how far you'll drive in labor.

Phoenix labor and delivery hospitals at a glance

The Arizona Perinatal Trust (APT) is the state's voluntary certification program for hospital maternity and newborn care. Its levels run from I (basic care for low- to moderate-risk pregnancies) to IV (critical care for the most complex mothers and newborns at any gestational age).

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, in central Phoenix, describes itself as a Level IV perinatal center, including its neonatal intensive care unit. It has a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center for fetal testing, complex procedures and babies with congenital conditions, plus an antepartum unit for parents who need to be hospitalized before delivery. Nurse midwives work alongside the obstetricians and neonatologists.

Best fit: high-risk pregnancies, parents expecting a baby who may need surgery or intensive care after birth, and anyone already followed by Banner's maternal-fetal medicine team.

Banner Desert Medical Center (Mesa)

Banner Desert Medical Center is the only APT Level IV hospital in the East Valley. Banner's own maternity page still describes a Level III perinatal center, so ask which level applies to your care when you tour. It has a Level III NICU at Banner Children's at Desert, a Banner – University maternal-fetal medicine clinic, multiple-birth specialists, and an OB triage unit in its women's tower.

Best fit: Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert families with a higher-risk pregnancy who would rather not drive into central Phoenix in labor.

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

Dignity Health St. Joseph's, in central Phoenix, was one of only three Arizona hospitals rated High Performing in maternity by U.S. News for 2026. Its maternity team includes maternal-fetal medicine specialists and certified nurse-midwives. The Level III nursery intensive care unit has ECMO, a heart-lung bypass machine for newborns whose heart or lungs need support. Nitrous oxide is available for labor pain, anesthesiologists are in-house around the clock, and an OB triage team works with the emergency department on urgent pregnancy problems.

Best fit: families who want a midwife-attended hospital birth with high-level backup in central Phoenix.

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea is also on the U.S. News 2026 High Performing list for maternity. OB/GYN hospitalists are on site 24 hours a day, maternal-fetal medicine specialists manage high-risk pregnancies, and the 28-bed Bowe Special Care Nursery is a Level III NICU. Birthing rooms include a Jacuzzi tub.

Best fit: Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Fountain Hills families who want strong backup close to home.

Valleywise Health Medical Center

Valleywise Health Medical Center, on Roosevelt Street in central Phoenix, has doctors, midwives and nurses on its labor and delivery team. It runs a dedicated Obstetrical Emergency Room for patients past the second trimester and for new parents up to 14 days after delivery. APT certifies it at Level IIIB.

Best fit: families who want midwifery care in a hospital that can also handle complex cases.

West Valley: Banner Thunderbird and Abrazo Arrowhead

Both Glendale hospitals are APT Level IIIB. Banner Thunderbird Medical Center has a Level III NICU, a maternal-fetal medicine center and an antepartum unit.

Abrazo Arrowhead Campus (its maternity unit is called The Nest) says more than 3,500 babies are born there each year, and its NICU earned a Level IIIB designation in early 2026. An OB laborist and anesthesia are on site 24/7, along with a neonatal nurse practitioner. Abrazo offers midwife services and lists VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) among its services.

Southeast Valley: Chandler Regional and Mercy Gilbert

Chandler Regional Medical Center (APT Level IIIA) offers maternal-fetal medicine, labor tubs, nitrous oxide, 24-hour anesthesia, an OB triage team and an antepartum unit.

A few miles east, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center's Lund Family Birth Center welcomes more than 4,000 babies a year. You can choose a midwife delivery, and comfort options include tubs and nitrous oxide. As an APT Level II center, Mercy Gilbert cares for low-risk and selected high-risk pregnancies; babies expected before 32 weeks are normally delivered at a higher-level hospital.

Other Valley hospitals with labor and delivery

• HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center (I-17 and Dove Valley Road, north Phoenix): a smaller unit with six labor and delivery rooms and a Level II newborn nursery, rated High Performing in maternity by U.S. News for 2026.
• Banner Estrella Medical Center (west Phoenix): APT Level IIIA, with a maternal-fetal medicine center.
• Banner Gateway Medical Center (Gilbert): APT Level II, with a Level II special care nursery and a neonatal nurse practitioner on site 24/7.

If you live in southern Arizona, see the separate guide to labor and delivery hospitals in Tucson.

How to choose a hospital to give birth in Phoenix

1. Start with your clinician. Many OBs and midwives deliver at only one or two hospitals. If you love your doctor, your hospital is often already decided; if you love a hospital, find a practice that delivers there.
2. Match the level to your risk. A healthy, low-risk pregnancy doesn't need a Level IV center. If you're carrying multiples, have a condition like preeclampsia or diabetes, or your baby may need surgery, ask your OB which level they recommend.
3. Check insurance for every bill. Confirm the hospital, the anesthesia group and the neonatology group are in network. If you have AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), check which hospitals your health plan covers.
4. Drive it at rush hour. Time the route from home and work during peak traffic, not at midnight. Second and later labors are often faster, so distance matters more.
5. Ask about your birth preferences. VBAC, midwife-attended birth, labor tubs and nitrous oxide vary by hospital. If you're hoping for a VBAC, read up on what a VBAC involves and ask the hospital directly whether it supports trial of labor after cesarean around the clock.
6. Take the tour. Ask where to park, which entrance to use at night, and how many support people can stay with you.

FAQ

Should I go to labor and delivery or the ER when labor starts in Phoenix?

Most Phoenix maternity hospitals assess laboring patients in an OB triage area rather than the general ER, but the entrance varies. HonorHealth tells patients to check in at the OB unit to be assessed in a triage room, Valleywise runs a separate OB emergency room, and at Dignity Health hospitals the emergency department works with an OB triage team. Ask your hospital which door to use, especially after hours. For heavy bleeding, a seizure or trouble breathing, call 911.

What is the best hospital to give birth in Arizona?

There is no single answer, but two lists help. U.S. News rated three Arizona hospitals High Performing in maternity for 2026: HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea, HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing and St. Joseph's in Phoenix. For high-risk care, the Arizona Perinatal Trust certifies Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner Desert at Level IV.

Which Phoenix hospital is best for a high-risk pregnancy?

Start with the Level IV hospitals (Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix and Banner Desert) and the Level IIIB hospitals with maternal-fetal medicine on site, such as St. Joseph's and HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea. Your maternal-fetal medicine specialist will usually recommend where to deliver based on your diagnosis.

Are there birth centers in Phoenix?

Yes, but check what the name means. Many hospitals call their maternity unit a "birth center" or "birthing center," like Mercy Gilbert's Lund Family Birth Center. A freestanding birth center is different: it's a midwife-led facility outside a hospital for low-risk pregnancies, with transfer to a hospital if complications come up. If you're interested in that option, you can find a midwife on Bornbir and ask where they attend births. This guide to midwife costs in Arizona covers pricing.

Can a doula come with me to a Phoenix hospital?

Generally yes, but each hospital sets its own visitor and support-person rules, so confirm when you tour. A doula provides continuous labor support and doesn't replace your medical team. See what doulas typically charge in this Phoenix doula cost guide.

Many Phoenix doulas regularly attend births at these hospitals and know their routines. You can compare doulas near you on Bornbir, including doulas in Phoenix, read their reviews, and message them directly.