The McDowell Hospital: labor and delivery in Marion, NC
The McDowell Hospital is a hospital in Marion, McDowell County, North Carolina that delivers babies. It handled 328 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 22% delivered by C-section (226 such births). That is below the North Carolina rate of 25% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 22%First-birth C-section rate
- 328Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 112Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 4 of 5Patient survey stars
- 3 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
430 Rankin Drive P O Box 730
Marion, NC 28752
McDowell County
Call (828) 659-5000 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How The McDowell Hospital compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 22% | 25% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 112 | 289 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 64 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Top 25% (fewest complications). Not counting transfusion-only cases: Middle 50%.
In North Carolina, The McDowell Hospital has the 16th-lowest first-birth C-section rate of 71 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: 4 of 5 stars
- 75% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 80% 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
The McDowell 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 Marion
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center | Rutherfordton | 19 | 21% | 145 | Yes |
| Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Inc. | Morganton | 21 | 22% | 1,017 | Yes |
| Memorial Mission Hospital and Asheville Surgery Center | Asheville | 30 | 24% | 3,650 | Yes |
| Adventhealth Hendersonville | Hendersonville | 32 | 19% | 597 | Yes |
| Pardee Hospital Henderson County | Hendersonville | 34 | 32% | 402 | Yes |
| Atrium Health Cleveland | Shelby | 36 | 19% | 1,250 | Yes |
All hospitals in Marion · McDowell County · All North Carolina hospitals