Southern Ocean Medical Center: labor and delivery in Manahawkin, NJ
Southern Ocean Medical Center is a hospital in Manahawkin, Ocean County, New Jersey that delivers babies. It handled 336 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 16% delivered by C-section (110 such births). That is below the New Jersey rate of 26% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 16%First-birth C-section rate
- 336Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 493Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 3 of 5Patient survey stars
- 4 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
1140 Rt 72 W
Manahawkin, NJ 08050
Ocean County
Call (609) 597-6011 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How Southern Ocean Medical Center compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 16% | 26% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 493 | 339 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 63 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Bottom 25% (most complications). Not counting transfusion-only cases: Middle 50%.
In New Jersey, Southern Ocean Medical Center 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
- Patient survey summary: 3 of 5 stars
- 64% 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
Southern Ocean 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 Manahawkin
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Medical Center | Toms River | 17 | 24% | 2,236 | Yes |
| Atlanticare Regional Medical Center - City Campus | Atlantic City | 26 | 33% | 2,008 | Yes |
| Ocean Medical Center | Brick | 26 | 24% | 887 | Yes |
| Shore Medical Center | Somers Point | 32 | 34% | 845 | Yes |
| Virtua Mount Holly Hospital | Mount Holly | 33 | 29% | 1,725 | Yes |
| West Jersey Hospital | Voorhees | 35 | 24% | 6,527 | Yes |
More in Ocean County
- Ocean Medical Center (Brick)
- Community Medical Center (Toms River)
All hospitals in Manahawkin · Ocean County · All New Jersey hospitals