Mother/Baby Falls

Little attention has been paid to falls in the newborn population, although an estimated 600–1,600 infants in the United States experience an in-hospital fall every year. These falls can have a catastrophic impact on the infant, from skull fractures to death. At the same time, pregnant women are not typically identified as high risk for a fall. Yet, falls are the leading cause for emergency room visits for this population. In the absence of research on fall prevention tools for women hospitalized in obstetric units, most hospitals are utilizing instruments developed for other clinical contexts that may be inadequate in identifying the risk for falls among women in obstetric units. This blueprint outlines evidence-based protocols to address the need for population-specific fall prevention solutions for mothers and their newborns.