Blue Band Initiative

High Blood Pressure and Pre-eclampsia During and After Pregnancy

The Blue Band Initiative is an effort to alert health care providers about a patient's risk for pre-eclampsia. Patients who are at risk of developing pre-eclampsia or having elevated blood pressure after giving birth, will wear a blue wrist band during pregnancy and after delivery of their babies.

If you have been asked to wear a blue band, keep it on until your provider takes it off or tells you to take it off, even after you’ve left the hospital.

Photo of a Blue Band that women with Preeclampsia will wear

Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a serious blood pressure condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy, or after giving birth (called postpartum pre-eclampsia).

Pre-eclampsia occurs when a woman has high blood pressure and can sometimes lead to her organs, such as kidneys and liver, to not function as they would normally. High blood pressure is when the pressure on the walls of your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart to other parts of the body, is too high. It can stress your heart and cause problems during pregnancy. For more info, visit the March of Dimes, CentraCare (MN), or the Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative (MNPQC) webpages on pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia can cause:

Rising blood pressure
Protein in the urine
Organ damage
Seizure
Stroke
Death

Signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia:

Swelling of face or hands
A headache that is severe or will not go away
Seeing spots or changes in vision
Pain in the upper right area of your belly or stomach pain
Nausea or throwing up
Sudden or rapid weight gain
Trouble breathing or feeling short of breath
Heartburn that will not go away
Decreased urination or none
Rising blood pressure
Chest pain
Confusion

What are the risk factors for pre-eclampsia?

First pregnancy
A history of pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy
Family history of pre-eclampsia
History of high blood pressure
History of kidney disease
Age 35 years or older
If you are carrying more than one baby
Having certain medical conditions such as diabetes, bleeding disorders, or some auto-immune conditions
BMI over 35
Pregnancy from fertility treatments

What are the risks for my baby if I develop pre-eclampsia?

Premature delivery
Stillbirth- death or loss of a baby before or during delivery

Long-term risks of pre-eclampsia

Preeclampsia can cause serious health problems for you and could have lifelong impacts. Women who have had pre-eclampsia have increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, and high blood pressure.

If you had pre-eclampsia once, it increases your risk of pre-eclampsia with future pregnancies.

If you notice any of the symptoms of pre-eclampsia listed above, you should seek medical attention. Get a ride to your closest emergency room or call 911 and report the symptoms you have been experiencing.

Wearing a Blue Band

If you are at risk of developing or have pre-eclampsia, your health care provider will ask you to wear a blue wristband.

Leave the blue wristband on until your health care provider takes it off or tells you to take it off.
Keep your follow-up appointments with your health care provider, even if you are feeling well.
Expect your first follow-up appointment after delivery to be within 2-6 weeks of discharge from the hospital.
Continue your prescribed medications as directed.
Tell your family and friends about the importance of wearing the band and getting care.

When presenting to the hospital, either in the Labor and Delivery Department or Emergency Department, let your health care providers know if you are wearing band. Also, let team members know if you are pregnant or have recently been pregnant.

How to Take Your Blood Pressure

Learn more about the Blue Band initiative here: Washington Blue Band Initiative | Washington State Department of Health.

*Delivery at Trios is not a requirement to obtain a blue band. If you or your loved one are pregnant or recently given birth and think you may meet the criteria for a blue band, please contact your provider or go to the Emergency room to be evaluated. *