Wentworth-Douglass Hospital: labor and delivery in Dover, NH
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital is a hospital in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire that delivers babies. It handled 1,738 deliveries in 2025. Of first-time mothers with a full-term, single, head-down baby, 23% delivered by C-section (597 such births). That is below the New Hampshire rate of 28% and below the U.S. median of 26%.
- 23%First-birth C-section rate
- 1,738Deliveries in 2025
- YesBirthing-Friendly designation
- 439Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries
- 4 of 5Patient survey stars
- 4 of 5Overall hospital stars
Address and phone
789 Central Ave
Dover, NH 03820
Strafford County
Call (603) 740-2580 Directions
- Emergency department: Yes
- Hospital type: Acute Care hospital
- Ownership: Nonprofit, Private
How Wentworth-Douglass Hospital compares
| Measure, 2025 | This hospital | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-birth C-section rate | 23% | 28% | 26% (median) |
| Severe complications per 10,000 deliveries | 439 | 227 | 285 |
| Severe complications, not counting transfusion-only cases, per 10,000 | 114 | – | 68 |
Severe-complication ranking among U.S. hospitals: Bottom 25% (most complications).
In New Hampshire, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has the lowest first-birth C-section rate of 14 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
- 79% of patients would definitely recommend this hospital
- 75% 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
Wentworth-Douglass 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 Dover
| Hospital | City | Miles | First-birth C-section rate | Deliveries, 2025 | Birthing-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital | Portsmouth | 11 | 25% | 510 | Yes |
| Exeter Hospital Inc. | Exeter | 16 | 25% | 560 | Yes |
| Anna Jaques Hospital | Newburyport | 28 | 33% | 599 | Yes |
| Elliot Hospital | Manchester | 32 | 32% | 2,435 | Yes |
| Catholic Medical Center | Manchester | 34 | 26% | 302 | Yes |
| Concord Hospital | Concord | 35 | 27% | 1,277 | Yes |
All hospitals in Dover · Strafford County · All New Hampshire hospitals