The United States (U. S) has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries. Obstetric complications, especially during the postpartum period, account for most maternal deaths. Once a woman leaves the hospital, the burden is on her to recognize when something is wrong, and seek appropriate care. A major contributing factor to the high maternal death rates is due to delays in seeking and receiving emergency care for complications. Women’s knowledge of the warning signs of potential complications impacts timely recognition and care-seeking for complications. However, little research has been done on knowledge of warning signs of complications among postpartum women across the United States. In this project, funded by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), I assessed postpartum women’s knowledge of the warning signs of potential complications 4-6 weeks after childbirth in Georgia, a state with high maternal mortality in the U.S.
STATUS: Results Forthcoming
Save Our Mothers 