AN ACT directing the department of health and human services to provide free educational information and training on stillbirth prevention; and appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of public health, to launch a statewide count the kicks program.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

part i. title

SECTION 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as The Building Understanding of Movement in Pregnancy Act or The BUMP Act.

part ii. stillbirth prevention educational information and training

SECTION 2.1.  Article 5 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

§ 130A‑128.10.  Department to provide free educational information and training on stillbirth prevention.

(a)        Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section:

(1)        Evidence‑based stillbirth prevention education. – Education grounded in current clinical guidance and peer‑reviewed evidence regarding modifiable stillbirth risk factors, including, but not limited to, fetal movement education, infection screening, hypertensive disorders, diabetes, smoking and substance exposure, placental insufficiency, and umbilical cord complications.

(2)        Fetal movement education. – Standardized counseling beginning no later than 28 weeks of gestation on the importance of monitoring fetal movement and the steps to take if movement decreases or changes, including same‑day clinical evaluation.

(3)        High‑disparity area. – Any county, region, or zip code identified by the Department as having stillbirth rates above the statewide average, including disproportionate impact on minority populations and other underrepresented groups.

(4)        Stillbirth or fetal death. – The death of a fetus at or after 20 weeks of gestation, excluding an induced termination of pregnancy.

(b)        Educational Materials for Pregnant Patients. – The Department shall provide all pregnant patients in North Carolina with standardized, evidence‑based educational materials on stillbirth prevention and urgent maternal and fetal warning signs during prenatal care. The Department shall provide these educational materials statewide in English and Spanish, plus other languages as community needs require. At a minimum, these educational materials shall include all of the following:

(1)        Guidance on fetal movement education and when to seek urgent evaluation for decreased fetal movement.

(2)        Information on maternal warning signs that require immediate care, including, but not limited to, severe headache, vision changes, chest pain, shortness of breath, heavy bleeding, fever, and severe abdominal pain.

(3)        Information on stillbirth risk factors and prevention strategies, including the role of infections, hypertension, diabetes, sleep position, smoking, and substance exposure.

(4)        Clear instructions for how to contact the prenatal care team after hours and how to access urgent evaluation.

(5)        Materials in English and Spanish statewide, with additional languages as needed based on community need.

The Department may satisfy this requirement through contracts or partnerships with qualified organizations, including community‑based organizations, with demonstrated expertise in conducting statewide stillbirth prevention education and multilingual outreach.

(c)        Required Provider Training. – The Department shall develop or procure evidence‑based training for prenatal care providers on stillbirth prevention protocols. The training shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1)        Standardized fetal movement education and documentation requirements beginning no later than 28 weeks.

(2)        Clinical response protocols for decreased fetal movement, including same‑day assessment and escalation pathways.

(3)        Recognition and management of infection‑related stillbirth risks, including screening and treatment guidance for syphilis and other infections consistent with clinical standards.

(4)        Recognition of placental and umbilical cord‑related risk factors and when to increase surveillance in the third trimester.

The Department shall make this training available in both virtual and in‑person formats and may satisfy this requirement through contracts or partnerships with qualified organizations capable of conducting statewide training that meets the requirements of this section.

SECTION 2.2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026‑2027 fiscal year to be allocated and used as follows:

(1)        Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to provide evidence‑based educational materials on stillbirth prevention and urgent maternal and fetal warning signs to pregnant patients during prenatal care, as required by G.S. 130A‑128.10(b), as enacted by Section 2.1 of this act.

(2)        Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to develop or procure evidence‑based training for prenatal care providers on stillbirth prevention protocols, as required by G.S. 130A‑128.10(c), as enacted by Section 2.1 of this act.

part iii. count the kicks program

SECTION 3.1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026‑2027 fiscal year to launch a statewide Count the Kicks stillbirth prevention public awareness campaign. The purpose of this public awareness campaign is to educate expectant parents, healthcare and social services providers, and community‑based organizations focused on caring for pregnant women about the importance of tracking fetal movement during the third trimester of pregnancy. In conducting this public awareness campaign, the Department shall prioritize outreach in high‑disparity areas. In addition to covering the costs of establishing and operating the program, these funds shall be used to do all of the following:

(1)        Provide training to healthcare providers, including obstetricians, obstetrical nurses, visiting nurses, childbirth educators, doulas, and midwives; providers of social services; and community‑based organizations focused on caring for pregnant women.

(2)        Develop educational materials in both English and Spanish for expectant parents on the importance of tracking fetal movements for stillbirth prevention.

part iv. effective date

SECTION 4.1.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2026.