Regional Health Services of Howard County: labor and delivery in Cresco, IA
Regional Health Services of Howard County is a hospital in Cresco, Howard County, Iowa that delivers babies. It handled 64 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 8% delivered by C-section (25 such births). That is below the Iowa rate of 24% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 8%First-birth C-section rate
- 64Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 282Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 4 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
235 8th Avenue West
Cresco, IA 52136
Howard County
Call (563) 547-2101 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Critical Access hospital
- Ownership: Government, Local
How Regional Health Services of Howard County compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 8% | 24% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 282 | 204 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 64 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Middle 50%.
In Iowa, Regional Health Services of Howard County has the lowest first-birth C-section rate of 43 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
- 69% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 73% 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
Regional Health Services of Howard County 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 Cresco
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnmed | Decorah | 18 | 29% | 231 | Yes |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinics | West Union | 31 | – | 77 | – |
| Floyd County Medical Center | Charles City | 36 | 26% | 122 | Yes |
| Olmsted Medical Center | Rochester | 47 | 87% | 321 | Yes |
| Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester | Rochester | 48 | 21% | 2,375 | Yes |
| Waverly Health Center | Waverly | 49 | – | 69 | Yes |
All hospitals in Cresco · Howard County · All Iowa hospitals