'I Gave Birth' wristbands improve maternal care

Hospitals are attempting to reduce maternal deaths due to post-pregnancy complications by giving mothers a silicone wristband with the words, “I Gave Birth.” First started in North Carolina to reduce maternal mortality during the pandemic by making emergency workers aware of postpartum risks, hospitals in at least 24 other states have adopted the initiative. Public health officials say the wristbands’ dissemination is occurring as hospitals brace for more than $900 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years due to provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. They worry states may inadequately track pregnant and postpartum Medicaid enrollees who should be exempt from the law’s work requirements and mistakenly drop them from coverage. Separately, a March of Dimes annual report found persistent maternity care gaps. (KFF News article, 8/12/26)