Essentia Health: labor and delivery in Fargo, ND
Essentia Health is a hospital in Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota that delivers babies. It handled 1,250 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 25% delivered by C-section (372 such births). That is above the North Dakota rate of 23% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 25%First-birth C-section rate
- 1,250Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 320Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 3 of 5Patient survey stars
- 3 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
3000 32nd Ave South
Fargo, ND 58104
Cass County
Call (701) 364-8000 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How Essentia Health compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 25% | 23% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 320 | 213 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 67 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Middle 50%.
In North Dakota, Essentia Health has the 8th-lowest first-birth C-section rate of 11 hospitals that report one.
The first-birth C-section rate counts first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby. Complication rates are adjusted for patient risk. Our data explains each number.
What patients say
- Patient survey summary: 3 of 5 stars
- 75% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 72% of patients rated this hospital 9 or 10 out of 10
Survey results cover all patients at the hospital, not only maternity patients.
Birthing-Friendly designation
Essentia Health holds the federal Birthing-Friendly designation. Hospitals earn it by taking part in a perinatal quality collaborative and following maternal safety practices.
Other hospitals that deliver babies near Fargo
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Medical Center Fargo | Fargo | 4.1 | 28% | 2,646 | Yes |
| Essentia Health St Marys - Detroit Lakes | Detroit Lakes | 46 | 32% | 464 | Yes |
| Perham Health | Perham | 63 | 25% | 224 | – |
| Riverview Hospital | Crookston | 64 | – | 85 | – |
| Prairie Ridge Hospital and Health Services | Elbow Lake | 71 | – | 40 | – |
| Altru Hospital | Grand Forks | 75 | 19% | 1,443 | Yes |
More labor and delivery in Fargo
All hospitals in Fargo · Cass County · All North Dakota hospitals