Count the Kicks Announces Partnership with Wellpoint in Arizona
Wellpoint, a leading managed care organization, is partnering with Count the Kicks to educate expectant parents about the importance of paying attention to their baby’s movements in the third trimester of pregnancy. Research suggests that increased awareness can reduce the risk of stillbirth when expectant parents are educated on how to monitor their baby’s movements daily beginning at 28 weeks.
The health of a mom and her baby are intrinsically connected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists changes in fetal movement as one of its 15 urgent maternal warning signs, underscoring the importance of monitoring movement in the third trimester.
After a few days using the FREE Count the Kicks mobile app (available in more than 20 languages), web-based counting platform or counting on a paper chart, expectant parents will begin to see a pattern, a normal amount of time it takes their baby to get to 10 movements. If their baby’s “normal” changes during the third trimester, this could be a sign of potential problems and is an indication that the expectant parent should call their health care provider right away. By making movement monitoring, also known as kick counting, easy and accessible, Count the Kicks and Wellpoint are working together to improve birth outcomes for moms and babies in Arizona and help ensure expectant parents seek care at the right time.
Goal of the Partnership
The partnership with Wellpoint will focus on increasing awareness of Count the Kicks through community engagement and health worker training, with the goal of reaching those communities most impacted by stillbirth. Maternal healthcare professionals, birthing hospitals, social service agencies, childbirth educators and anyone who works with expectant parents in Arizona can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials to help them have a conversation about kick counting with the families they serve.
“Every family deserves the healthiest possible start,” said Mike Hofer, chief growth officer for Wellpoint. “Partnering with Count the Kicks allows us to put a simple, proven tool directly into the hands of expectant parents across Arizona, empowering them with knowledge, confidence and a clear path to act if something does not feel right. If we can help prevent even one family from experiencing the heartbreak of stillbirth, this partnership matters. Our goal is to help save lives, reduce disparities and ensure more Arizona babies celebrate their first birthdays.”
Impact of Stillbirth in Arizona
Stillbirth is commonly defined as the loss of a baby at 20 weeks or greater gestation during pregnancy. It is a national public health crisis that impacts more than 20,000 families in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC. Every year 485 Arizona families experience the tragedy of stillbirth. For expectant parents in the state, one in every 162 pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Disparities in stillbirth outcomes persist, and data shows that a disproportionate number of babies are born still to Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native families. Expectant parents in some age groups, geographic locations, and those expecting multiples also face an increased risk of stillbirth.
“In 2010, my son Zach was stillborn at full term following a placental abruption that nearly took my life as well. I had noticed a change in my baby’s movements two days earlier and reported it to my physician, but I was reassured that my baby was likely “settling down for birth,” said Shawn Soumilas, Count the Kicks ambassador in Arizona. “If I had been tracking his patterns, I would have known something had changed. If I had gone in for care two days earlier, he would be alive. Now I work tirelessly in his honor to prevent Arizona families from experiencing the tragedy of stillbirth.”
Research on Count the Kicks
Research published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology shows a more than 30% reduction in Iowa’s stillbirth rate in the first 10 years of the Count the Kicks program at a time when America’s stillbirth rate remained stagnant. The results have led researchers to call for urgent action to address the stillbirth crisis in the U.S. and to study Count the Kicks on a national level. Through this collaboration, Wellpoint is hoping to bring the same success to Arizona, which would save approximately 155 babies in the state each year.
About Wellpoint
Wellpoint, part of the Elevance Health family of brands, focuses on improving physical health as well as the behavioral and social drivers that impact it through a comprehensive suite of Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial products. The Wellpoint companies offer healthcare services for consumers at any stage of life seeking to make the right care decisions and helps individuals and communities make real, positive progress with health plans that foster independence, confidence, and whole-person health. For more information, please visit www.wellpoint.com.
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