Hospitals Say They Found a Tool To Help Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands By Andrew Jones Aug. 12, 2026

Hospitals Say They Found a Tool To Help Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands North Carolina and other states have embraced “I Gave Birth” wristbands as a way to encourage women to seek help when they have postpartum complications. They’re gaining steam as the Trump administration’s cuts to Medicaid threaten postpartum care. By Andrew Jones Aug. 12, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/gave-birth-wristbands-bracelets-postpartum-pregnancy-maternal-mortality-north-carolina/ KFF Health News: Hospitals Say They Found A Tool To Help Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands Hospitals across the U.S. are trying to reduce maternal deaths and complications after pregnancies using one small tool: a silicone wristband stamped with the declaration “I Gave Birth.” The wristbands are part of a growing initiative first launched by North Carolina-based ECU Health as Congress sought to address the nation’s growing maternal mortality crisis during the covid pandemic. Since 2021, nearly 50 North Carolina hospitals and the state’s health department have begun distributing the wristbands, to give mothers and care providers a visual reminder of the life-threatening health risks after birth. (Jones, 8/12)