‘Count the Kicks’ Comes to Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, applauded the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) for implementing Count the Kicks, a public health initiative designed to improve Missouri’s infant mortality rate and prevent stillbirths.
Last year, Sen. Schupp met with representatives from DHSS to discuss bringing the program to the Show-Me State after learning of its success in other states.
“Improving the health of women and children is a top priority of mine and I greatly appreciate the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for meeting to discuss this life-saving program, and for ultimately bringing it to Missouri,” Sen. Schupp said. “This is an important step forward in reducing Missouri’s infant mortality rate which has been far too high for far too long.”
Count the Kicks is a stillbirth prevention campaign that encourages expectant parents to track their baby’s movements daily during the third trimester of pregnancy, and contact their healthcare provider right away if there are any concerning changes.
In Iowa, where the program was first implemented, the number of stillbirths each year has decreased by more than 25 percent.
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