Women in the first six to twelve weeks after delivering a baby are at higher risk of dying from pregnancy and birth complications, and the FHN Women’s Health Team is taking action to keep its postpartum patients safe.
“In 2022, the CDC reported that 817 women died of maternal causes in the United States,” FHN Memorial Hospital Perinatal Quality Nurse Danielle Wittig, BSN, RNC-ONQS said. “33 percent of those deaths were substantially preventable, and another 36 percent were moderately preventable.”
“We have partnered with our community EMS providers and the Emergency Department, and have also reached out to other area hospitals to help recognize and treat those complications to reduce maternal mortality.”
The FHN Post-Birth Alert Program, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is focused on giving new mothers an orange bracelet to wear as an alert. Alert bands are worn for six to twelve weeks, until the mother’s postpartum appointment with their provider.
The patient and her support person also receive focused education, utilizing the AWHONN (Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) Post-Birth Warning Signs guidelines, emphasizing the importance of the Post-Birth Alert band and recognizing when to seek immediate care.
“If a woman has a medical emergency and isn’t able to communicate, the bracelet will inform providers and emergency personnel of her postpartum status,” said FHN OB Service Line Perinatal Educator Keri Schubert, BSN, RNC-MNN, C-EFM. “That fast identification can be crucial in saving that woman’s life.”
Women in the six to twelve week period after giving birth are at increased risk of a number of serious complications, including:
The FHN Post-Birth Alert Program team has information available on postpartum risks, as well as program materials for EMS and medical professionals. Contact Danielle Wittig, BSN, RNC-ONQS, Perinatal Quality Nurse at 815-599-6489 or dwittig@fhn.org for more information.