North Shore Medical Center: labor and delivery in Salem, MA
North Shore Medical Center is a hospital in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts that delivers babies. It handled 1,380 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 31% delivered by C-section (450 such births). That is above the Massachusetts rate of 28% and above the U.S. median of 26%.
- 31%First-birth C-section rate
- 1,380Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 297Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 3 of 5Patient survey stars
- 5 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
81 Highland Avenue
Salem, MA 01970
Essex County
Call (978) 741-1215 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How North Shore Medical Center compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 31% | 28% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 297 | 364 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 73 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Middle 50%.
In Massachusetts, North Shore Medical Center has the 26th-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: 3 of 5 stars
- 65% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 65% 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
North Shore Medical Center 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 Salem
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Hospital Corporation | Beverly | 4.0 | 27% | 1,973 | Yes |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare | Melrose | 8.6 | 32% | 854 | Yes |
| Winchester Hospital | Winchester | 11 | 24% | 2,481 | Yes |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | Boston | 13 | 30% | 3,386 | Yes |
| Tufts Medical Center | Boston | 14 | 29% | 1,389 | Yes |
| Cambridge Health Alliance | Cambridge | 14 | 26% | 1,237 | Yes |
More in Essex County
- Northeast Hospital Corporation (Beverly)
- Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital (Lawrence)
- Holy Family Hospital (Methuen)
- Anna Jaques Hospital (Newburyport)
All hospitals in Salem · Essex County · All Massachusetts hospitals