Baby loss certificate launched to recognise parents’ grief.
As of the 22nd of February, parents who have experienced the devastation of losing a baby before 24 weeks gestation can now apply for certification to have their loss officially recognised.
This new initiative is part of the Government’s response to the Independent Pregnancy Loss Review which was commissioned in 2018. The voluntary scheme allows parents to record the loss of their child officially, allowing them to receive certification providing them with the important recognition that their child existed.
The service is available for either parent to access following a loss of under 24 weeks gestation that occurred since 1 September 2018. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and have been living in England at the time the pregnancy ended.
The certificate is an official but not legal document, and the current cut-off date of September 2018 is expected to be extended very soon. This free service can be accessed using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/request-baby-loss-certificate
Ruth Bender Atik, National Director of the Miscarriage Association, said: For many, if not most people, even the earliest of losses can be deeply distressing, both emotionally and physically. It means the loss not only of this pregnancy but also of the hopes, plans, and dreams that they had for this new life. And having no formal acknowledgement or marker of their loss can compound their grief. The new certification scheme will make a genuinely positive difference to many who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss, offering formal recognition of the tiniest of lives.
To read the independent report: ‘Pregnancy Loss Review’ please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pregnancy-loss-review