Northwest Health - Porter: labor and delivery in Valparaiso, IN
Northwest Health - Porter is a hospital in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana that delivers babies. It handled 995 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 23% delivered by C-section (289 such births). That is below the Indiana rate of 26% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 23%First-birth C-section rate
- 995Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 611Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 2 of 5Patient survey stars
- 2 of 5Overall hospital stars
Birth services at Northwest Health - Porter
- Newborn care: Level III NICU
- Private labor and delivery rooms
- VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) support
- Lactation consultants
- Childbirth and parenting classes
- Birth center tours
- OB hospitalists on staff
- High-risk pregnancy and maternal-fetal medicine care
Tour, class and care-team details are on the hospital's maternity page.
Address and phone
85 East US Hwy 6
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Porter County
Call (219) 983-8300 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: For-profit
How Northwest Health - Porter compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 23% | 26% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 611 | 247 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 65 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Bottom 25% (most complications). Not counting transfusion-only cases: Middle 50%.
In Indiana, Northwest Health - Porter has the 25th-lowest first-birth C-section rate of 67 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
- 46% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 53% 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
Northwest Health - Porter 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 Valparaiso
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary Medical Center Inc. | Hobart | 11 | 23% | 672 | Yes |
| Franciscan Health Michigan City | Michigan City | 14 | 26% | 344 | Yes |
| Methodist Hospitals Inc. | Gary | 16 | 31% | 943 | Yes |
| Northwest Health-LA Porte | La Porte | 17 | 20% | 411 | Yes |
| Franciscan Health Crown Point | Crown Point | 19 | 28% | 1,384 | Yes |
| St Catherine Hospital Inc. | East Chicago | 21 | 16% | 245 | Yes |
All hospitals in Valparaiso · Porter County · All Indiana hospitals