Bronson Battle Creek Hospital Sees Major Drop in Cesarean Births, Now Among Top Hospitals in Michigan
Some of Bronson Battle Creek Hospital’s OBI provider champions, recognized for leading efforts to reduce unnecessary C-sections, educating staff and improving outcomes for mothers and families.
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The Bronson BirthPlace in Battle Creek is being recognized for outstanding progress in safe and high-quality maternity care. The team has greatly improved its NTSV (nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex) cesarean (c-section) birth rate, a key indicator of maternal health. The hospital is now one of the top 10 hospitals in Michigan for this important measure.
Hospitals aim for a lower C-section birth rate because vaginal births are generally safer for low-risk pregnancies. C-sections are major surgeries and carry higher risks of complications like infection, blood clots and longer recovery times for mothers, as well as breathing problems for babies.
Mahmood Siddiqui, MD, obstetrics department lead at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital, celebrates the team’s success in reducing unnecessary C-sections and improving care for mothers and families.
As of February 2025, the hospital’s cesarean birth rate for first-time moms with full-term, single, head-down babies was 18.4% – lower than the national goal of 23.6% set by Healthy People 2030. This achievement reflects a strong commitment to best practices in obstetric care and continuous improvement in patient outcomes, according to data from the Michigan Obstetrics Initiative (OBI).
OBI is a statewide quality improvement collaborative that brings together obstetric providers to make childbirth safer for mothers and babies across Michigan. Supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, OBI focuses on reducing maternal morbidity and enhancing birth experiences through data-driven practices.
“Bronson’s work with OBI shows our dedication to safe, fair and high-quality care for mothers,” said Mahmood Siddiqui, MD, physician and obstetrics department lead at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital. “This program helps reduce unnecessary C-sections and improve care. Thanks to strong teamwork, smart use of data and proven best practices, we’ve made real progress for families in our community.”
This success is thanks to the work of the hospital’s OBI champion team, which includes doctors, midwives, nurses and hospital leaders. They focused on staff education, setting clear expectations, regular team check-ins and open communication about results.
“Our OBI provider champions led the way,” said Letishia Hill, director of Women & Children’s Services at Bronson. “They implemented new tools, educated staff, kept everyone on track and made sure we celebrated our progress. Watching the numbers drop really inspired the team. It shows how committed we are to safer births and better outcomes for families.”
Bronson BirthPlace in Battle Creek will continue to work with the OBI program and use proven practices to support safe and healthy births. The team remains focused on delivering fair, high-quality care to every patient.
