“Count the Kicks” goal is to save 60 Kansas babies every year, reduce stillbirth rate by 26 percent

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced today that it has partnered with Count the Kicks, a proven stillbirth prevention public health campaign. Kansas vital statistics show that 232 stillborn babies are born each year in our state. The introduction of Count the Kicks in Kansas has the potential to save 60 babies every year if Kansas’ stillbirth rate decreases by 26 percent, as has happened in neighboring Iowa where the campaign began.

 

Count the Kicks teaches the method for and importance of tracking fetal movement in the third trimester of pregnancy. Scientific studies show that expectant moms should track their baby’s movements once a day in the third trimester and learn how long it normally takes their baby to get to 10 movements. Moms will start to notice a pattern, a normal amount of time it takes their baby to get to 10. If “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and an indication to call their provider.

 

“We are excited to provide physicians, partners and pregnant women across the state full access to Count the Kicks materials,” said Rachel Sisson, KDHE Bureau of Family Health Director. “KDHE’s Bureau of Family Health remains committed to collaborative efforts to support the healthiest outcome for mothers and infants.”

 

Through KDHE, maternal health providers, birthing hospitals and social service agencies throughout Kansas can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials at www.countthekicks.org to start using these materials in their practices right away. Moms everywhere can download the FREE Count the Kicks app, which is available in the Google Play and iTunes online stores. The app, available in English and Spanish, allows expectant moms to monitor their baby’s movement, record the history, set a daily reminder, count for single babies and twins. The app already helped save seven Iowa babies in the past year.

 

This project is supported by KDHE with funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under grant number #B04MC31488 and title Maternal and Child Health Services.