Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital: labor and delivery in Lawrence, MA
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital is a hospital in Lawrence, Essex County, Massachusetts that delivers babies. It handled 1,314 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 35% delivered by C-section (404 such births). That is above the Massachusetts rate of 28% and above the U.S. median of 26%.
- 35%First-birth C-section rate
- 1,314Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 306Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 2 of 5Patient survey stars
- 2 of 5Overall hospital stars
Birth services at Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital
- Newborn care: NICU on site
- High-risk pregnancy and maternal-fetal medicine care
Address and phone
One General Street
Lawrence, MA 01841
Essex County
Call (978) 683-4000 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 35% | 28% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 306 | 364 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 76 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Middle 50%.
In Massachusetts, Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital has the 35th-lowest first-birth C-section rate of 36 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: 2 of 5 stars
- 61% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 58% 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
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital 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 Lawrence
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Family Hospital | Methuen | 1.6 | 29% | 788 | Yes |
| Lowell General Hospital | Lowell | 11 | 22% | 1,790 | Yes |
| Anna Jaques Hospital | Newburyport | 15 | 33% | 599 | Yes |
| Southern NH Medical Center | Nashua | 16 | 32% | 989 | Yes |
| Winchester Hospital | Winchester | 17 | 24% | 2,481 | Yes |
| Northeast Hospital Corporation | Beverly | 17 | 27% | 1,973 | Yes |
More in Essex County
- Northeast Hospital Corporation (Beverly)
- Holy Family Hospital (Methuen)
- Anna Jaques Hospital (Newburyport)
- North Shore Medical Center (Salem)
All hospitals in Lawrence · Essex County · All Massachusetts hospitals