CTK is an evidence-based approach started by Healthy Birth Day in Iowa for fetal mortality/stillbirth prevention. The program was successful in reducing stillbirth rates, leading to a 32% decrease in stillbirths over the first decade of its campaign.

CTK is endorsed by the Association of Maternal Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and the International Childbirth Educators Association (ICEA) (Heazell et al., 2023). It empowers local clinicians, public health professionals, and community advocates to serve as champions for fetal movement awareness. This approach strengthens the maternal health workforce, reduces knowledge gaps, and fosters consistent, evidence-based messaging across clinical and community settings.

Interested in learning more about Count the Kicks? Please visit their official website at Count the Kicks.

Our agency’s Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committee (FIMR) Community Action Team identified lack of fetal movement as a top risk factor for fetal/infant deaths.

Cuyahoga County’s fetal mortality rate was 7.0 in 2022, 6.9 in 2023, and 6.1 in 2024, producing a higher average rate (6.6) than the Healthy People 2030 goal of 5.7.  The goal is to reduce the fetal mortality rate to a 3-year rolling average.

A baby’s movements are an important sign of well-being in the third trimester.

Count the Kicks runs a free pregnancy app used to help users track and rate movements, send reminders to count, and record contractions. It has a built-in “Ask Ana” AI assistant that provides medically tailored responses to movement-based questions. After a few sessions on the app, users will start to notice the average amount of time it takes for their baby to get to 10 movements.

To aid in the implementation of this app and education, we have recruited and trained Count the Kicks Champions, both in clinical and community-based settings, to actively reach our community members. Champions raise awareness of fetal movement monitoring in their hospital, clinic, or community, reinforce consistent education for both patients and providers, and integrate Count the Kicks education into their setting of care.

Download the Count the Kicks app today!

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The Champion Program of Count the Kicks is designed to train, educate, and support Maternal & Child Health professionals around the county.  Champions will receive education on fetal movement monitoring and access to resources that help integrate Count the Kicks into their daily workflow. Champions may include a wide range of community based workers to Clinical professionals.  Through this initiative, we hope to empower both pregnant families and healthcare professionals to recognize and respond to change in fetal movement.  By increasing awareness and utilization of the Count the Kicks app across the county, we aim to support healthier pregnancies and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Count the Kicks Champions:

Susan Conover – Manager, WIC Operations, Cuyahoga County WIC

The MetroHealth System

Jaelyn Corbett – Community Health Worker

Neighborhood Family Practice

Crystal Ann Hall – Community Engagement Officer

Black Child Development Institute

Monique Katsuki –  Staff Physician

Cleveland Clinic

JTwasha Kelley – Healthy Community Program Coordinator

Neighborhood Leadership Institute

Brandy Robinson – Administrative Program Coordinator

Cleveland Clinic

Keturah Thompson – Program Manager

Pregnant with Possibilities Resource Center