With stillbirth affecting approximately 1 in 125 Georgia pregnancies, the ongoing partnership promotes the Count the Kicks app and resources to help expectant parents track fetal movement, reduce anxiety and save lives.
Amerigroup Community Care of Georgia (Amerigroup Georgia) is highlighting its ongoing partnership with Count the Kicks to raise awareness about free tools that help expectant parents track their baby’s movements. These resources empower pregnant Georgians to feel more in control, reduce anxiety, and improve birth outcomes.
Research shows that a baby’s movements in the third trimester are a vital indicator of well-being. Count the Kicks teaches expectant parents to recognize what movement patterns are normal for their baby. By completing daily kick-counting sessions with the Count the Kicks app, expectant mothers learn their baby’s routine, become more alert to potential warning signs, and feel empowered to reach out to their healthcare provider if movement patterns change.
Through its support of Count the Kicks, Amerigroup Georgia has helped make stillbirth prevention resources more widely available to expectant parents across the state—free of charge. These resources include the Count the Kicks mobile app, available in more than 20 languages, as well as a printable kick-counting chart and a web-based tracking tool. The app also features a contraction timer and “Ask Ana,” an AI-powered assistant that provides real-time, evidence-based answers to questions about baby movement, offering personalized support throughout pregnancy.
After a few days of using Count the Kicks, most expectant parents identify a typical amount of time it takes for their baby to reach 10 movements. If they notice a change in the strength or timing of those movements, Amerigroup urges them to contact a healthcare provider right away.
Stillbirth—defined as the loss of a baby after 20 weeks of pregnancy—affects about 1 in every 125 pregnancies in Georgia. Each year, more than 21,000 families across the U.S., including approximately 995 in Georgia, endure the heartbreak of losing a baby late in pregnancy. Some groups are more severely affected than others, with Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native families facing significantly higher rates of stillbirth. Other risk factors include maternal age, multiple births, and geographic location. Research shows that at least 25 percent of stillbirths are preventable, reinforcing the urgent need for accessible tools and timely education.
“A change in a baby’s movements during the third trimester is one of the most important warning signs we have—and it can be lifesaving,” said Dr. Madeline Sutton, Medical Director at Amerigroup Georgia. “That’s why we’re proud to support Count the Kicks and help bring this simple, free, and effective tool to expectant parents across Georgia. Every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing their baby is doing well—and every baby deserves a chance to be born healthy.”
A study published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that Iowa saw a more than 30% decline in stillbirths during the first decade of the Count the Kicks program—while the U.S. stillbirth rate remained unchanged. That success has led researchers to call for urgent national action to address the stillbirth crisis and further evaluate Count the Kicks. Amerigroup hopes to bring similar success to Georgia, which could help save an estimated 490 babies in the state each year.[1]
Through this partnership, maternal health providers, birthing hospitals, social service agencies, doulas, and childbirth educators across Georgia can order free Count the Kicks educational materials at CountTheKicks.org. These resources help teach expectant parents how to recognize and track their baby’s normal movement patterns. Amerigroup urges professionals who support pregnant families to take advantage of these free materials.