How One Mother's Story Sparked a Lifesaving Change: The Blue Band Initiative
Raising awareness and improving safety for pregnant and postpartum patients at risk of preeclampsia, one blue wristband at a time
When Laurin McIalwain woke up in the ICU, she had no memory of giving birth four days earlier. Now the mother of three healthy children, she recalls the days after her first pregnancy as traumatic.
"I remember waking up not knowing I had a baby," Laurin said. "Not knowing what her name was, not knowing what happened or where I was."
Her pregnancy had been uncomplicated, and the delivery of her first child went smoothly. She was discharged from the hospital and recuperating at home when she developed a persistent headache.
"My blood pressure was a little high at my post-partum checkup the day after I was discharged," said Laurin. "They did some blood work and everything looked fine. But when my headache started, I knew something wasn't right."
Laurin's husband rushed her to the emergency room. Emergency providers saw her high blood pressure and prescribed medication. But just hours later at home, she started having seizures. She was alone, and her husband found her four hours later.
Laurin was rushed to the EvergreenHealth emergency department for a second time, where she spent several days in a coma in the ICU. Laurin was diagnosed with eclampsia: a complication characterized by seizures during or shortly after pregnancy. Individuals at risk of eclampsia are often diagnosed with preeclampsia, which most often includes symptoms of high blood pressure and high levels of protein in urine.
A Simple But Powerful Step
Laurin's story inspired the Blue Band initiative in 2017. This program, available to every pregnant person seeking care at EvergreenHealth, aims to prevent complications like these with a low-tech fix: a simple blue band.
As part of the Blue Band Initiative, pregnant people who are at risk of preeclampsia wear a blue wristband during pregnancy to six weeks postpartum. This blue band signals to first responders and other health care providers who may need to quickly assess a patient's health history.
EvergreenHealth was the first hospital in Washington state to implement the Blue Band Initiative in 2017 and has since taken steps to expand the program. In 2025, the blue banding practice was introduced to the hospital system's emergency departments and outpatient clinics, allowing our staff to offer blue bands to patients much sooner than ever before.
EvergreenHealth has also developed a Blue Band Initiative packet in multiple languages that offers important information about preeclampsia as well as tips for how to properly check your blood pressure, a medication log and much more.
EvergreenHealth is also working hospitals across Washington state to share our roadmap of how we have implemented the Blue Band Initiative to help patients get the right treatment sooner.
Are you at risk for preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia affects 5 to 8% of all pregnancies. It first manifests as high blood pressure that develops for the first time after 20 weeks of pregnancy or following childbirth. Risk factors for preeclampsia include high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders and in vitro fertilization. It's possible to detect the warning signs, such as high blood pressure or protein in urine. Knowing those risk factors and communicating them early can save lives.
During prenatal visits at EvergreenHealth, doctors and midwives assess patients' risk for preeclampsia and suggest wearing the blue band. It's important not only for the pregnant person to wear it, but to make sure everyone around them knows what it means in a medical emergency.
"Laurin's story is a powerful reminder of the ways our patients can be impacted by preeclampsia. Every added layer of this project helps to increase patient safety in pregnant and recently delivered patients throughout our region. The work we have done on the Blue Band Initiative project has been professionally and personally fulfilling – knowing the impact it will have on my community will last for years to come," said Summer Hopkins, MN, BSN, RNC-OB, professional development specialist with EvergreenHealth's Family Maternity Center. "In addition to our work with other hospitals and our patient-facing packet, our in-patient nurses have been refreshing and reviewing their knowledge about how we manage patients with preeclampsia and have been given new tools to help educate patients as well. These are just some of the important ways we are serving our birthing community – and it has been such an honor to be a part of it."
The Blue Band in Action
Laurin went on to deliver her second and third child at EvergreenHealth, wearing a blue band at the end of each pregnancy and into postpartum. Nurses and other providers immediately recognized the band, giving Laurin the opportunity to discuss her medical history and her risk of preeclampsia.
This allowed the team to intervene quickly during her third pregnancy when during a postpartum appointment, Laurin shared that her blood pressure had been slightly elevated the day before. She was admitted to the hospital immediately, received three days of treatment with magnesium, and was safely discharged.
Today, Laurin is an advocate for the Blue Band Initiative, meeting once a month with providers to share her story and raise awareness.
"My advice is to say out loud every symptom you have and tell your doctor what's going on so they can put the pieces together, even if the symptoms seem insignificant," she said. "I think the initiative is a great thing, and I'm proud to be a part of it. It's a simple idea that's helping parents and babies stay safe."
The Preeclampsia Foundation has more information about the condition. You can also find more details about the Blue Band Initiative's statewide impact from the Washington State Department of Health.
To learn more, discuss with your health care provider or learn about Pregnancy & Birth services at EvergreenHealth.
