ZSFG has achieved the prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation. This distinguished honor demonstrates that ZSFG is adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding parents, ensuring that all babies get the healthiest start in life. ZSFG is committed to providing world-class care to all birthing people, regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.

For immediate release:
May 22, 2024
Media Contact: zsfg.admin@sfdph.org

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ZUCKERBERG SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL HOSPITAL AND TRAUMA CENTER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS BABY-FRIENDLY DESIGNATION

San Francisco, CA — Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), San Francisco’s safety net hospital and only Level 1 Trauma Center, is proud to announce that it once again received the international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA.

“This designation is a tribute to ZSFG’s commitment to ensuring that all birthing people who deliver a baby at our hospital — regardless of insurance, income or immigration status — get the support they and their babies need for the healthiest start in life,” said Dr. Susan Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of ZSFG. “Thank you to the ZSFG staff in the Family Birth Center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Unit and Women’s Health and Pediatric clinics who worked together as a team to ensure we continue to meet the high standards of the Baby-Friendly designation and provide our patients with the excellent care that they deserve.”

Baby-Friendly standards are built on a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support successful breastfeeding in healthcare settings. In 2007 ZSFG received its first Baby- Friendly designation, making the hospital the 50th Baby-Friendly hospital in the country and the first Baby-Friendly hospital in San Francisco.

ZSFG undergoes re-certification surveys every five years to ensure it is providing an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting the rights of all birthing people to make the best decision for themselves and their families. Currently there are more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the world, 565 of which are in the United States.

The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well documented and widely recognized by health authorities throughout the world. For example, the Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding stated that “Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children.”

About Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG) is the sole provider of trauma and psychiatric emergency services for the City and County of San Francisco. A comprehensive medical center, ZSFG serves some 100,000 patients per year and provides 20 percent of the city’s inpatient care. As San Francisco’s public hospital, ZSFG is a member of the San Francisco Health Network, an integrated delivery system operated by the Department of Public Health that provides all levels of care to San Franciscans. ZSFG’s mission is to provide quality health care and trauma services with compassion and respect to patients that include the City’s most vulnerable. ZSFG is also one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, partnering with the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine for clinical training and research.

About Baby-Friendly USA

As the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States, Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation and ensure the widespread adoption of the BFHI in the US. Learn more about Baby-Friendly USA and the BFHI at www.babyfriendlyusa.org.

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