Wood County Hospital’s Obstetrics department recently scored highly on several report cards, specifically
in the areas of labor and delivery, breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the state-specific reports on the
Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care scores. The CDC’s mPINC survey scores hospitals on
maternity practices including those that align with the Ten Steps that assist in providing tools to
support new mothers in breastfeeding.
On the 2016 CDC Breastfeeding Report Card, 77.7 percent of mothers initiated breastfeeding in Ohio,
nearing the Healthy People 2020 goal of 81.9 percent initiation. This also places Ohio better than the
national average of a score of 79. Wood County Hospital achieved a score of 89 percent.
Wood County Hospital received a perfect 100 score in the subcategory of Labor and Delivery, including
skin-to-skin contact, initial breastfeeding opportunity and routine procedures performed skin to skin.
At Wood County Hospital, the Obstetrics department has incorporated new programs to encourage mothers to
spend time skin to skin.
A training program was implemented to educate the nursing staff on how to educate mothers of the
important benefits of skin to skin after birth. In addition, quiet time is now offered on the floor from
2 p.m.-4 p.m., allowing parents to spend uninterrupted time with their newborn.
The hospital also received a score of 100 in facility discharge care. The score was achieved through the
extensive support programing offered through Wood County Hospital Obstetrics Department. After a mother
is discharged, a personal follow-up phone call is made to the mother as support. The hospital offers a
breastfeeding support group both online and meetings conducted the first Tuesday of each month by a
certified lactation consultant. For those that delivered at the hospital and need additional one-on-one
support and guidance, free lactation consultations are available.
In addition, the hospital is one of seven in the state that has an agreement with the Ohio Health Milk
Bank and offers the necessary screening draws free to donors.  
Wood County Hospital helped over 230 moms to breastfeed their babies over the past year. Beyond the
obvious economic and environmental benefits, breastfeeding has been proven to improve the health of the
baby by protecting against common childhood infection and providing a better survival rate during the
first year, including a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Research has also shown that
breastfeeding reduces the risk for certain allergic diseases, asthma, obesity and Type 2 diabetes and
may help improve an infant’s cognitive development.
Mothers who breastfeed tend to lose weight faster and have a quicker recovery as well as a reduced risk
for ovarian, breast, uterine and endometrial cancer.