Ascension St. Vincent’s Birmingham has been selected to pilot the Postpartum Awareness Bracelet program, an exciting new initiative from the Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ALPQC). The bracelet is designed to boost recognition and treatment of postpartum complications with the hope of reducing obstetric-related readmissions by 20 percent.
“The research continues to show that new moms are frequently at risk for serious complications in the weeks following their baby’s birth,” said Madonna Nichols, director of women and children’s services at St. Vincent’s. “We work to educate new families about potential complications and encourage them to seek medical attention if the mother is feeling ‘off’ in any way during this critical six-week period following birth.”
Since mid-July, patients at St. Vincent’s women’s and children’s center have received either a “Postpartum Awareness/I Just Delivered” bracelet or a “Pregnancy/Infant Loss” bracelet. These bracelets will signal to healthcare providers and emergency medical services that a woman has recently given birth and is at a heightened risk for postpartum complications, such as preeclampsia/eclampsia, infection, sepsis, cardiomyopathy, embolism or stroke, and mental health disorders. The Alabama Maternal Mortality Review Committee reports that over 60% of pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths from 2018-2019 were preventable.
“What we are seeing a lot of right now is postpartum preeclampsia,” said Nichols. “A new mom may not have experienced preeclampsia during her pregnancy, but many people might not realize that blood pressure can rise after birth and a new mom may start to experience headaches or blurred vision and not think to associate that with a postpartum issue. These bracelets are a game changer in reminding medical professionals that mom has had a baby and to keep postpartum complications top of mind when caring for patients.”
Along with the bracelet, ALLPQC includes an easy reference card with signs to look out for, using the acronym POST BIRTH:
Pain in chest
Obstructed breathing/short of breath
Seizures
Thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby
Bleeding through 1 pad an hour or large blood clots
Incision that is not healing
Red, swollen, or painful legs
Temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
Headache, vision change
St. Vincent’s will be at Babypalooza on Saturday, August 17, 2024 in the BJCC East Ballroom. Visit St. Vincent’s their mom lounge to learn more about the bracelets and get one of your own.
