UConn John Dempsey Hospital is participating in the Connecticut Urgent Maternal Warning Signs Bracelet Initiative, a statewide effort to reduce preventable pregnancy-related complications and save lives.
As part of this program, postpartum patients at UConn John Dempsey Hospital will receive an orange bracelet before leaving the hospital. Patients are encouraged to wear the bracelet for 12 weeks postpartum as a reminder to monitor their health and to alert healthcare professionals and first responders that they are newly postpartum.
The bracelet is designed to promote timely recognition of urgent maternal warning signs — which are symptoms of potentially serious health complications such as eclampsia, blood clots, sepsis, cardiomyopathy, and perinatal depression. These conditions can become life-threatening if not identified and treated early.
“This initiative gives new parents an added layer of support during a critical time,” said Karen Callahan, staff nurse in OB/GYN. “By improving awareness, we can help support the health and well-being of postpartum patients across our community. Our goal is early recognition of maternal warning signs to ensure rapid care.”
The Bracelet Initiative is one of the first statewide programs of its kind. In addition to providing bracelets and educational materials to patients, the initiative includes training for healthcare professionals and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel on how to respond quickly and appropriately when a patient wearing the bracelet seeks emergency care.
In preparation for launching the initiative, UConn Health partnered with the Connecticut Hospital Association to participate in a series of virtual training webinars tailored to different provider audiences, including hospital clinical staff, emergency department teams, EMS, and community-based healthcare providers. Internally, UConn Health convened leaders and frontline staff from Labor and Delivery, postpartum nursing, OB-GYN practices, the Emergency Department at UConn John Dempsey Hospital, and local fire and EMS departments to ensure a coordinated, systemwide approach.
As part of the discharge process, postpartum nurses play a critical role by placing the orange bracelet directly on each patient’s wrist and providing education on urgent maternal warning signs, reinforcing when and how to seek care. These trainings focused on project implementation, symptom recognition, and best practices for timely response all with a shared goal of early recognition of maternal warning signs and ensuring rapid, life-saving care when it matters most.
The Connecticut Urgent Maternal Warning Signs Bracelet Initiative is a state-funded effort led by the Connecticut Perinatal Quality Collaborative (CPQC) and the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA). The initiative is funded by the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Maternal Health Innovation Grant. Funding from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) is also supporting the initiative’s rollout.
Learn more about the Bracelet Initiative at cthosp.org/bracelet.
