Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation is partnering with Count the Kicks, an evidence-based stillbirth prevention program, to educate expectant parents in Wisconsin about the importance of tracking fetal movement in the third trimester of pregnancy. Research shows that nearly 30% of stillbirths can be prevented when expectant parents are informed on the importance of tracking their baby’s movements daily starting at 28 weeks.
Stillbirth is a national public health crisis. In the U.S. the annual number of stillbirths (defined as the loss of a baby at 20 weeks or greater during pregnancy) far exceeds the number of deaths among children aged 0-14 years from preterm birth, SIDS, accidents, drownings, guns, fire and flu combined. For Wisconsin families, 1 in every 199 pregnancies end in stillbirth, and families in the state are 6.5 times more likely to lose a baby to stillbirth than to SIDS.
Count the Kicks has a free app available in the iOS and Google Play app stores that provides expectant parents a simple, non-invasive way to monitor their babies’ well-being every day. App users can see their kick-counting history, rate the strength of their baby’s movements, set daily reminders and have the ability to count for single babies and twins. Paper kick counting charts are also available on the Count the Kicks website.
After a few days tracking movement, 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 mom should call their healthcare provider right away.
Maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, social service agencies, childbirth educators and other providers in Wisconsin can order FREE Count the Kicks educational materials (available at www.CountTheKicks.org) to help them have the kick counting conversation with expectant parents. These materials include posters, brochures, and app download cards in English and Spanish.
Through the partnership, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and Count the Kicks will work to address social determinants of health through a 4-question survey for all expectant parents utilizing the free app. The questions focus on barriers to accessing resources and connect app users who are in need of additional assistance and support to free or reduced cost resources in their local community. These resources include things like diaper banks, food banks, housing assistance, and more.
“We are 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 Ted Osthelder, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Medicaid President in Wisconsin. “This campaign will aid at-risk pregnant women and enhance their overall experience, empowering them to take control of their health and discuss these vital details with their healthcare provider. Anthem remains committed to improving maternal and infant health outcomes across Wisconsin.”
CDC data shows that every year in the U.S. approximately 860 women will die from childbirth complications, and 22,300 babies will be stillborn. One in every 173 pregnancies in the U.S. ends in stillbirth, and the risk is even greater for Black, Brown, Asian and Indigenous expectant parents and their pregnancies. For Black women in the U.S., 1 in every 97 pregnancies ends in stillbirth.
In Iowa, where Count the Kicks began, the state’s stillbirth rate dropped by nearly 32 percent in the first 10 years of the campaign (2008-2018). Iowa’s rate went from 33rd worst in the country to one of the lowest, while the country’s rate remained relatively flat. Through this collaboration, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation is hoping to bring the same success to Wisconsin, which would save approximately 104 babies in the state each year.
