AIBU to ask you to sign this to help the families of stillborn babies.

[RestlessTraveller]

My friend's daughter was stillborn at 23 weeks old. Sarah was in labour for 7 hours before giving birth to Rowan, who had died in the womb from a heart condition. Because Rowan was born before 24 weeks it was classed as a miscarriage and a birth or death certificate could not be issued. Please consider signing this petition to change this for Sarah and Nick, and every other family facing the same experience.

www.change.org/p/department-of-health-uk-allow-registered-birth-certificates-for-children-born-from-20-weeks?recruiter=45838847&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-no_msg

I signed a couple of weeks ago.

Personally, I think that the 24 weeks cut off for abortions is too late. At that stage of the pregnancy, an abortion would surely entail inducing labour? I can't imagine how horribly traumatising that would be for the mother.

Having read the previous thread, thanks AuntieStella, I can completely understand why some people won't want to sign this. Apart from the legal ramifications of abortion, I understand why for some parents it would cause more upset. But I also completely get Sarah's upset that she has footprints and other memories and will tell her other children about a sibling that legally doesn't exist. It's a difficult one.

You can register a stillbirth

www.gov.uk/register-stillbirth

but I think that follows the current legal age of viability at 24 weeks (which is, as noted above) linked to the abortion laws.

FishInAWetSuitAndFlippers

I have no word. I hope you are ok now.

Such an important thing to have a choice.

Bump

My baby was born at 23+6 weeks and died 2 hours after he was born. We have a birth certificate and a death certificate

My understanding of it was if my baby had been born dead he wouldn't of gotten a birth certificate or death certificate as he was never alive outside the womb,

I think it's awful people don't get birth certificates for their still borns but I can also see why they don't. Technically the baby never lived as awful as that sounds x

I don't know what the right answer is here. I can't see the law operating on a "asked for" basis. So if the limit was 20 weeks then would birth certificates have to be issued in the case of abortions? It would be horrific if women who had abortions were forced to register the birth. Also if the limit was changed to 20 weeks then surely you would have those poor women who loose a baby at 19 weeks also wanting birth certificates, then 17 weeks and so on, where would you stop? The current limit matches the limit of viability which make some logical sense, surely any other line would be arbitrary? However I can see the current rules are heartbreaking for some, I just feel a change may be heartbreaking for others. Sorry

My DS2 was born at 21 weeks. The hospital gave us a certificate, but this wasn't a formal birth certificate. I agree with this. Legally you would move to shaky grounds for late term abortion, and remember a late term abortion is usually for medical reasons.