Increasing Awareness of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality with Post-Birth Alert Bands
Maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States continues to rise and it is higher than in any other industrialized country. We need to educate and increase awareness so that patient concerns are addressed appropriately. Post-Birth Alert bands help raise awareness like a medical alert band used for other high-risk conditions. Since January 1, 2025, each patient who has given birth at an SSM Wisconsin Region Hospital has received a Post-Birth Alert band along with education on post-birth warning signs, when they are discharged from the hospital after delivery. 3,614 bands were provided in 2025. We have initiated this program which serves as a critical alert mechanism for identifying and responding to postpartum complications. We want this initiative to spread to all of the hospitals in Wisconsin and throughout the United States.