DES MOINES, Iowa — The nonprofit EMBARC and Healthy Birth Day's Count the Kicks program are turning their attention to the state's Burmese community to spread education about stillbirths.
And their latest method of distributing information is through a billboard.
The average rate for stillbirths for Asian or Pacific islanders in the U.S. is 4.29 per one thousand live births, according to the CDC.
Megan Aucutt, program director for Healthy Birth Day and Count the Kicks, said it's a number she wants to be lowered.
Her organization partnered with EMBARC, a nonprofit dealing with Burmese advocacy, to spread awareness to as many communities as possible.
The two organizations share information to pregnant moms about tracking babies' movements in the third trimester to help prevent stillbirths.
That information is translated into the Burmese language in different presentations as well as on the Count the Kicks app.
This is done so those who don't speak English can have a better chance at understanding the message both groups are trying to spread.
The latest way the organizations are trying to spread their message to reach more people is through a billboard, which is located near the Des Moines Playhouse.
"To have that cultural representation at such a large scale — the first billboard in the state that is translated into the Burmese language just speaks volumes to one, the importance of partnerships like this with EMBARC, but two, just showing that we do elevate voices of color," Aucutt said.
Aucutt said the partnership will continue to spread their message about preventing stillbirths in the Burmese language.
The next project is a PSA which will be released later this year on their app, which can be found on both the Google Play and Apple App Stores.