As a precautionary response to postpartum complications, bright orange bracelets will be given to mothers to wear for six to 12 weeks following delivery to help emergency response teams identify proper care.
As the United States to continues to face a critical maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, hospitals across the Sunrise Health System become the first in the Las Vegas Valley to implement orange postpartum alert bracelets to help raise awareness to emergency response teams. The program started at Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center followed by Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center and will soon expand to MountainView Hospital, broadening the support for postpartum patients across Las Vegas.
Postpartum mothers face risks of severe, life-threatening complications, which may be overlooked by emergency response teams who are not aware that a patient has recently given birth. Risks include postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia/eclampsia (serious high blood pressure complications during or after pregnancy), sepsis and serious blood clots after childbirth, as well as psychological risks such as postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis. Southern Hills aims to address these risks by educating both patients and local EMS partners to understand the purpose of the postpartum bracelets and what they represent.
“Patient safety remains a top priority for us, and the new post-partum alert bracelets signifies our commitment to upholding safety standards, even after patients are in our care,” said Amee Baker, director of women’s services at Southern Hills Hospital. “In the first six to 12 weeks—and even up to a year— after having a baby, mothers are at a higher risk for serious complications. Both patients and EMS partners may not immediately draw the connection between the medical issues with the birth of a baby, posing an even more serious threat to new moms. By introducing the postpartum alert bracelets, we aim to continue educating both our patients and EMS partners to create a safer and healthier path for new moms.”
Post-birth warning bracelets help EMS partners provide proper medical response including:
- Immediate Identification: Paramedics instantly recognize the patient is within the vulnerable postpartum window.
- Targeted Field Protocols: The visual cue prompts immediate screening for maternal emergencies, including blood pressure monitoring and neurological checks.
- Optimized Routing: EMS can route the patient directly to an appropriate facility equipped with 24/7 obstetric capabilities.
- Advanced Notification: Field crews can pre-alert the receiving emergency department to prepare specialized maternal crisis teams.
The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) has identified four key postpartum symptoms that require emergency attention: chest pain, obstructed breathing or shortness of breath, seizures or thoughts of harm. Additionally, postpartum women are encouraged to call their health care providers if they are experiencing heavy bleeding, an incision that’s not healing, red or swollen legs, temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or a terrible headache.
To learn more about the postpartum alert bracelets, visit: https://www.sunrisehealthinfo.com/locations/southern-hills-hospital/specialties/womens-care/labor-and-delivery.
About Sunrise Health System
The Sunrise Health System, which includes Sunrise Hospital, Sunrise Children’s Hospital, MountainView Hospital and Southern Hills Hospital, is the largest provider of complex care in the state of Nevada and is home to one of only two Level 1 trauma centers in the state. We employ nearly 8,000 Nevadans and last year alone we invested $113 million in capital investment locally. In 2025, we admitted 95,000 patients throughout our four hospitals and six freestanding emergency rooms. Our overall system of care is made up of 50 sites across the Las Vegas valley, including specialty clinics, urgent care centers and outpatient facilities.
