WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a landmark move for the American healthcare landscape, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) officially announced on July 23, 2026, the first cohort of hospitals to receive the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Designation. This prestigious recognition marks a pivotal shift in how maternity services are evaluated, moving beyond clinical outcomes alone to prioritize the dignity, equity, and autonomy of the birthing person.
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The inaugural announcement highlights a significant achievement for Sentara Health, which saw ten of its facilities across Virginia and North Carolina earn the "Bronze" designation. Supported by Huggies® Healthcare™, the program aims to address the systemic challenges within the U.S. maternal health system by fostering a culture where "every patient, every interaction, every time" is characterized by respect and patient-centeredness.
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The Core Mission: Defining Respectful Maternity Care
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For decades, the success of a maternity ward was measured primarily through morbidity and mortality rates. While these metrics remain vital, a growing body of research suggests that the experience of care is a critical determinant of long-term health outcomes for both mother and child. Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) is an approach that recognizes the rights of childbearing women and birthing people to be treated with dignity and to be free from harm, ill-treatment, or discrimination.
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The AWHONN RMC Designation is not merely an award; it is a rigorous certification process. It recognizes hospitals that have successfully implemented evidence-based practices and engaged multidisciplinary teams to eliminate obstetric violence, reduce racial disparities in care, and ensure that patients are active participants in their own medical decisions.
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“The inaugural recipients represent organizations that are leading the way in advancing respectful maternity care,” said Sarah Copple, Director of Perinatal Programs at AWHONN. “Their dedication to creating safe, compassionate, and equitable care environments sets an example for hospitals across the country and reflects AWHONN’s vision for excellence in maternity care.”
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Chronology of a Movement: From Concept to 2026 Implementation
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The journey toward the RMC Designation began years ago as AWHONN responded to the escalating maternal mortality crisis in the United States—a crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous women.
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- Phase 1: Research and Framework Development (Pre-2024): AWHONN collaborated with clinical experts, patient advocates, and health equity researchers to define the standards of respectful care. This included the development of educational modules for nurses and clinicians focused on implicit bias, informed consent, and trauma-informed care.
- Phase 2: The Pilot Program (2024–2025): A select group of hospitals began trialing the RMC framework, testing the feasibility of the required quality improvement (QI) initiatives and staff education protocols.
- Phase 3: The National Launch (Early 2026): AWHONN opened applications for the inaugural "Spring 2026" designation cycle. Hospitals nationwide began the comprehensive process of auditing their internal cultures and patient feedback loops.
- Phase 4: July 23, 2026 Announcement: The official unveiling of the first hospitals to meet the rigorous criteria for the Bronze-level designation.
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Supporting Data: The Sentara Health Sweep
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The most striking feature of the inaugural list is the dominance of Sentara Health. Ten facilities within the Sentara system achieved Bronze-level status simultaneously, signaling a massive, system-wide commitment to cultural transformation.
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The Spring 2026 RMC Designation Recipients include:
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- Sentara Albemarle Medical Center (Elizabeth City, NC) – Bronze
- Sentara CarePlex Hospital (Hampton, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Leigh Hospital (Norfolk, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Obici Hospital (Suffolk, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital (Charlottesville, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (Norfolk, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (Woodbridge, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Princess Anne Hospital (Virginia Beach, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara RMH Medical Center (Harrisonburg, VA) – Bronze
- Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center (Williamsburg, VA) – Bronze
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To achieve this, each organization had to complete a multi-faceted assessment. This included high-level leadership engagement, mandatory staff education on respectful care principles, and the implementation of specific quality improvement initiatives designed to monitor patient satisfaction and clinical equity. The "Bronze" designation serves as the foundation, indicating that the hospital has established the necessary infrastructure to sustain a culture of respect.
Official Responses: Voices of Leadership
The announcement has garnered praise from across the healthcare and corporate sectors, highlighting the collaborative nature of this initiative.
The Nursing Perspective
Amber Price, Sentara System Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), emphasized that the designation is a validation of ongoing efforts. “This recognition reflects the work our teams have already been doing and strengthens our focus on making sure every patient, every interaction, and every moment of care reflects that same level of respect and communication. As we move forward, it’s about building consistency, so every family feels the difference.”
The Corporate Partnership
The implementation of the RMC Program was bolstered by significant support from Huggies® Healthcare™. This partnership underscores the role of the private sector in advancing public health goals.
“Huggies believes every family deserves to feel respected, supported, and cared for throughout their maternity journey, and we are proud to support AWHONN’s Respectful Maternity Care Program,” said Scott Glenn, Vice President for Huggies diapers. “We congratulate the inaugural designation recipients for their commitment to advancing compassionate, equitable, and patient-centered care for mothers and babies. Together, we can help create better experiences and outcomes for families during some of life’s most important moments.”
Implications for the Future of Maternal Health
The introduction of the RMC Designation comes at a time when the U.S. healthcare system is under intense scrutiny for its maternal health outcomes. The implications of this program are far-reaching and touch on several key areas of healthcare reform.
1. Addressing Health Disparities
One of the primary goals of RMC is to bridge the gap in outcomes for marginalized communities. By standardizing "respect" and "equity" as measurable metrics, hospitals are forced to look at their data through a lens of social justice. When clinicians are trained to recognize and mitigate their own biases, the quality of care for Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous patients improves, potentially lowering the rates of preventable complications.
2. Nurse Retention and Professional Satisfaction
As the primary caregivers at the bedside, nurses are the backbone of maternity care. AWHONN’s initiative empowers nurses by providing them with the tools and the organizational "permission" to advocate for their patients’ wishes. A culture of respect often leads to higher job satisfaction among nursing staff, which is critical during a period of nationwide nursing shortages.
3. Patient Trust and Empowerment
For many families, the birthing experience is their most significant interaction with the healthcare system. Negative experiences—such as feeling unheard or being subjected to procedures without full consent—can lead to a lifelong distrust of medical institutions. The RMC Designation serves as a "seal of approval" for patients, signaling that a facility is a safe space where their autonomy will be protected.
4. A New Competitive Benchmark
As more hospitals seek the RMC Designation, it is expected to become a competitive differentiator. In an era where patients are increasingly "shopping" for healthcare based on reviews and certifications, the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels of RMC will likely influence where families choose to deliver their babies. This market pressure could accelerate the adoption of respectful care practices across the industry.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
While the July 23 announcement celebrates the "Spring 2026" cohort, AWHONN and its partners view this as only the beginning. The goal is for the RMC Designation to become a standard expectation for every birthing hospital in the United States.
The ten Sentara Health facilities have set a high bar for the industry, demonstrating that even large, complex systems can pivot toward a more compassionate model of care. As these hospitals move toward Silver and Gold designations, they will continue to refine their processes, focusing on long-term sustainability and the integration of patient voices into hospital governance.
For hospitals looking to follow in the footsteps of the inaugural recipients, the path is clear: it requires a fundamental shift from viewing patients as passive recipients of care to viewing them as respected partners in the birthing process.
Hospitals interested in pursuing the Respectful Maternity Care Designation can find detailed application requirements and educational resources at AWHONN’s official website.
About AWHONN
The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit professional organization whose mission is to empower and support nurses caring for women, newborns, and their families through research, education, and advocacy.
About Huggies® Healthcare™
Huggies® Healthcare™ is a division of Kimberly-Clark dedicated to providing innovative solutions and support for healthcare professionals and families, ensuring that every baby gets the best care possible from day one.
