Holly Willoughby opens up about ‘frightening’ stillbirth statistics

New mums Holly Willoughby and Alesha Dixon have joined forces with Count The Kicks to save stillborn babies

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by Kayleigh Dray |
Updated on

Count The Kicks, a charity based in Guildford, are working with mums Alesha Dixon and Holly Willoughby in a bid to ensure that we begin talking about the 'taboo' subject of stillbirth.

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Elizabeth Hutton, the charity's Chief Exec, explained: "It's taking the same route that cot death took in the 1980's in that nobody spoke about it before.

"As soon as they started talking about it and highlighting the issue, cot death rates went down massively.

"It's very much a taboo because people don't want to think about babies dying.

"Especially when you're pregnant, everyone wants to stay in the pregnancy bubble and keep everything upbeat.

"But the more we can talk about it, we can then move forward and try to prevent it."

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Count The Kicks
Count The Kicks

Holly Willoughby and Alesha Dixon are fronting a new poster campaign for Count The Kicks, giving it a huge boost.

Holly Willoughby said: "The sad fact is that a third of stillborn babies are perfectly formed and born at gestation, when they could safely be delivered.

"That is a frightening statistic and that is why I fully support the work that Count the Kicks are doing in educating mums-to-be about being aware of their baby’s movements.

"Having recently given birth myself, this campaign really resonates with me and I was happy to be support this important cause."

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Alesha Dixon added: "I’m a mum myself so can really empathise with what women who go through the tragedy of stillbirth must feel.

"Only around 10% of stillbirths are caused by a fatal congenital abnormality, meaning there is a potential to save up to 90% of stillborn babies.

"I’m a firm believer that mums should always trust their instincts - if you notice a change in your baby’s movements, seek advice quickly from a healthcare professional."

Find out more about the work done by Count The Kicks on their official website now.

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