As Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month comes to an end, a local doctor is introducing a new protocol to her practice to teach pregnant moms about stillbirth prevention.

According to Star Legacy Data, 23,000 babies die a year from stillborn. Dr. Heather Florescue, OBGYN, Women Gynecology and Childbirth Associates said it's due in part to a lack of education.

She’s the first in the Rochester area to implement Saving Babies' Lives.

“I honestly had no idea stillbirth could be prevented until June of this year,” Florescue said.

The U.K. program has reduced the stillbirth rate by 18 percent in the first five years adding up to 1,000 babies. Since Florescue began the education program within her practice, she’s saved the lives of eight babies.

“The mother was not reassured with the normal testing and expressed that to me. I tried to reassure her and ultimately I said, 'We had an ultrasound a few days ago that looked fine, let’s look again.' We found low fluid and I do not think we would have found that if we hadn’t had the protocol and education,” the doctor added. 

Florescue is now meeting with other practices to expand the program to continue saving more lives.