What you need to do to register a stillbirth

When a child is stillborn, the doctor or midwife will issue a medical certificate of stillbirth.  This will be sent to the register office by the doctor or midwife before an appointment can be booked to register.

Every stillbirth in England or Wales must be registered in the district in which it takes place within 42 days. If this is delayed the registration must be carried out within 12 months or it will need to be referred to the General Register Office. 

How a stillbirth is defined

A stillborn child is legally defined as a child born after the 24th week of pregnancy who did not, at any time after being born, breathe or show any other signs of life.  A child who breathed or showed other signs of life is considered live born for registration purposes, irrespective of the number of weeks duration of the pregnancy.

Request a baby loss certificate

If your pregnancy ended before 24 weeks, you can get a certificate in memory of your baby. This certificate is free of charge. 

Further information and how to request a baby loss certificate can be found on the request a baby loss certificate page of the gov.uk website.

Registration if the stillbirth occurs in Milton Keynes

Please telephone us on 01908 372101 to make an appointment to register the still birth of your baby.  

Registration if the stillbirth occurred outside Milton Keynes

A still-birth must be registered in the district where it occurs, therefore please contact the district where the stillbirth occurred in order to book the registration appointment. 

Who can register a stillbirth

If the parents of the child were married to each other, or in a civil partnership, at the time of the stillbirth (or conception), either the mother or the father may register.

If the parents were not married to each other, or in a civil partnership, at the time of the stillbirth (or conception), information about the father may only be entered into the register in the following circumstances:

• Where the mother and father register the stillbirth register together, or
• Where the father is unable to be with the mother at the registration - the father may make a statutory declaration acknowledging his paternity which the mother must produce to the registrar (this form may be obtained from any registrar in England or Wales, or downloaded from the gov.uk website).
• Where the mother is unable to be with the father at the registration - the mother may make a statutory declaration acknowledging the father's paternity which the father must produce to the registrar (this form may be obtained from any registrar in England or Wales, or downloaded from the gov.uk website).

If information about the father is not recorded, it may be possible, at a later date, for the stillbirth to be re-registered to include his details.

Although the majority of stillbirths are registered by the parents, sometimes neither the mother nor the father are able to do this.  In these circumstances, the registrar will arrange for the registration to be completed by whichever of the following people is the best able to do so:

• The occupier of the house or hospital where the child was stillborn
• A person who was present at the stillbirth
• A person who is responsible for the stillborn child
• The person who found the stillborn child (where the date and place of the stillbirth are unknown)

What information you will need

About the child

• Date and place of stillbirth
• The forename(s) and surname, if the parents wish to name the stillborn child
• Sex of the child

Father (where this information is to be entered into the register)

• Forename(s) and surname
• Any previous names used
• Date and place of birth
• Occupation at the time of the stillbirth or, if not employed at that time, the last occupation
• Usual address at the date of the stillbirth
• Date of marriage or civil partnership, if married or in a civil partnership to the stillborn child's mother at the time of the stillbirth
• Number of previous children the mother of the child has had

About the mother

• Forename(s) and surname
• Any previous names used
• Maiden surname if the mother is, or has been, married
• Date and place of birth
• Occupation at the time of the stillbirth or, if not employed at that time, the last occupation
• Usual address at the date of the stillbirth
• Date of marriage or civil partnership, if married or in a civil partnership to the stillborn child's father at the time of the stillbirth
• Number of previous children the mother has had

The person registering the stillbirth should check the information very carefully before signing the register, paying particular attention to spellings and dates.  If anything is found to be incorrect before the register page is signed the error(s) can be changed free of charge.  If anything is found to be incorrect after the register page has been signed a fee is chargeable for the consideration of the correction.  This can be a lengthy process.

What certificates that will be issued

Certificate of registration

A certificate of registration will be issued, free of charge, to the person who registers the stillbirth.  This certificate provides proof that the stillbirth has been registered. Any names given to the stillborn child and entered into the register will be recorded on the certificate of registration.

Stillbirth certificate

After a stillbirth has been registered, certificates may be purchased at the time of registration or at any time afterwards by the mother or the father (the father's details would need to be recorded in the register entry for him to be able to obtain a certificate).  Any application for a certificate from someone who is not the mother or father should be sent to the General Register Office giving full details of the purpose for which the certificate is required.

Certificate for burial or cremation

The registrar will issue a certificate for the burial (in a burial ground) or cremation (in a crematorium) of the stillborn child.  The certificate is normally passed to the funeral director who is making the arrangements.  A funeral cannot take place until this certificate is given to the burial authority or the crematorium.  If there is a delay to the registration, it is possible for a certificate for the burial (in a burial ground) to be issued before registration provided the still-birth does not need to be reported to the coroner.  A certificate for cremation cannot be issued before the registration.