Having a baby is one of the most exciting and scary times of life. There are so many things to plan for and learn.

One of the first is to find the team of health professionals that you want to help you have your baby safely and according to your wishes. What type of information is available to you about maternity care in Maryland hospitals?

The Maryland Health Care Commission—a state agency—provides information for consumers about maternity care (and newborn care) in their Hospital Performance Evaluation Guide.

Many women want to know about a hospital's C-section rates as they want to have their baby naturally and avoid the extra hospital time and risks of surgery. The C-section rate for Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) was 38 percent in 2010 (higher than the state average of 34 percent) while the rate at Baltimore Washington Medical Center BWMC was 30 percent.

There have also been surveys done of maternity patients at both our local hospitals. The surveys ask a variety of questions about their hospital experience.

In general, both hospitals do pretty well, with close to 70 percent giving an overall favorable rating to their maternity experience in both AAMC and BWMC. The two hospitals' scores are also similar in terms of the responsiveness of their staff and pain management.

However, there were some differences to be aware of:

• Cleanliness of the Hospital: Over three-quarters (77 percent) of surveyed maternity patients at BWMC gave a favorable rating to the cleanliness of the hospital compared to just over half (57 percent) of AAMC patients.

• Quietness of the Hospital: Over three-quarters of maternity patients at BWMC gave a favorable rating to the quietness of the hospital, compared to only 63 percent of AAMC patients.

Interestingly, however, AAMC maternity patients are more likely to recommend the hospital, with over 83 percent of them doing so compared to 75 percent at BWMC.

What about cost? Increasingly many of us are having to pick up more costs related to our healthcare through high deductibles or co-insurance.

Another Maryland state agency provides information about the cost of maternity care—the average cost for a vaginal delivery at AAMC is $5,165 and the cost is $6,998 for a C-section.

The average cost is higher at BWMC—$ 5,712 for a vaginal delivery and $7,497 for a C-section. Bear in mind, these costs are only averages and won't tell you how much your care will cost given your actual use of services and your insurance coverage.

Of course, the hospital that you go to will largely be determined by the obstetrician that you choose. Unfortunately, there aren't that many resources to learn objective information about area ob-gyns. Here's a link to another PATCH story about “Finding a Doctor.”

For more information about maternity care at the Maryland Health Care Commission:

http://mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/hospitalguide/index.htm

Maryland Hospital Prices:

http://mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/hospitalguide/hospital_guide/docs/pricing_guide.pdf