Amerigroup, Count the Kicks launch “Stirrup” the Stillbirth Prevention Conversation

Stillbirth Prevention

• Kimberly Isburg
• 09.25.20

Count the Kicks and Amerigroup Iowa are proud to announce “Stirrup” the Stillbirth Prevention Conversation, an initiative to empower expectant Iowa women to talk to their providers about fetal movement monitoring in the third trimester of pregnancy. For years the evidence-based Count the Kicks campaign has encouraged providers to initiate the kick counting conversation through Count the Kicks free educational materials including posters, brochures, and app reminder cards.

The “Stirrup” Campaign will take this highly effective, mom-focused campaign to the next level by providing stirrup covers to maternal healthcare providers in hopes of empowering moms to initiate this conversation and to share data directly from the free Count the Kicks app.  

Every year in the U.S. 24,000 babies are born still, according to the CDC. Data from the Iowa Department of Public Health shows an average of 174 Iowa babies are lost each year to stillbirth. The evidence-based Count the Kicks public health campaign, which began in Iowa, is credited with reducing Iowa’s stillbirth rate by nearly 32 percent in the first 10 years of the campaign (2008-2018). During that same time stillbirth rates in the rest of the U.S. remained relatively stagnant.

Black women are two times more likely to lose their babies to stillbirth than their white counterparts, and in the first five years of the campaign in Iowa, the stillbirth rate among Black families declined by nearly 39 percent.

“Amerigroup Iowa is grateful to partner with Count the Kicks to provide real-time resources and solutions for expectant moms and families through educational and innovative programming,” said Jeffrey Jones, president, Amerigroup Iowa. “This public health campaign will aid at-risk pregnant women and enhance their overall experience enabling them to take control of their health and feel empowered to discuss these vital details with their healthcare provider. Amerigroup Iowa remains committed to our community partners across the state who play a critical role in the care of our members and the communities they serve.”

Research proves the importance of tracking fetal movement, and Count the Kicks encourages moms to get to know the normal movement pattern for their baby by having daily kick counting sessions using the free Count the Kicks app. Kick counting data within the app can be emailed or texted directly to providers — a helpful way to determine the next best steps for mom and baby during this global health crisis.

“Now is an especially important time for women and providers to have ongoing conversations about fetal movement throughout the third trimester of pregnancy. The “Stirrup” the Stillbirth Prevention Conversation campaign is a wonderful opportunity to encourage expectant Iowa women to discuss with their provider why they are using the Count the Kicks app and to empower them to share their chart with their provider regardless of reduced fetal movement,” said Emily Price, Healthy Birth Day, Inc. Executive Director.

By partnering with social service agencies, hospital systems, and local and state public health agencies, Amerigroup and Count the Kicks hopes to educate and empower more than 35,000 expectant Iowa women and save more babies from preventable stillbirth. The initiative will provide Count the Kicks branded stirrup covers to a variety of birthing centers, OBGYNS, midwives and other maternal healthcare providers in an effort to spark a new conversation between provider and expectant parent. Count the Kicks is also excited to partner with Amerigroup to make the Count the Kicks app compatible with wearable technology to improve accessibility and keep up with technology demands.