Register a stillbirth

When a child is stillborn, a doctor or midwife issues a Medical Certificate of Stillbirth. The person registering the stillbirth must bring this to the register office.

Every stillbirth must be registered:

• within three months
• in the district in which it took place

If the baby’s parents are married, either the mother or father can register.

The mother can sign if:

• the baby’s parents aren’t married
• the father can’t be traced or is unknown

If both parents want the father’s name in the register:

• both parents can sign the register together
• the mother can sign and bring a ‘signed declaration’ form (available at the register office) from the father

If the father registers the stillbirth and the parents aren’t married, the mother must complete a ‘signed declaration’ form.

If the parents can't register the stillbirth, we can accept registration from:

• the occupier of the house where the stillbirth happened
• a person present at the stillbirth
• a person responsible for the stillborn child, for example, a coroner’s officer
• the person who found the stillborn child (where the date and location of aren't known)

We'll need information on the child, including the:

• date and place of stillbirth
• sex of the child
• first names and surname (if you want to name the child)

We'll need information on the child, including the:

• first names and surname
• date and place of birth
• occupation at the time of the stillbirth (if unemployed, give the last occupation)

We'll need information on the mother, including the:

• first names and surname
• maiden name (if married or previously married)
• date and place of birth
• occupation at the time of the stillbirth (if unemployed, give the last occupation)
• usual address at the time of the stillbirth
• date of marriage (if married to the stillborn’s father at the time)

We'll give you (or the person who registers) a:

• certificate of registration - free of charge and issued to the person who registers the stillbirth
• stillbirth certificate - can be bought any time, but the father can only buy this if his details are in the register
• certificate of burial or cremation - normally passed to the person organising the funeral

A funeral can only take place once this certificate of burial or cremation is given to the burial authority or the crematorium.

If there's a delay with the registration and the stillbirth doesn't need to be reported to the Coroner, the certificate can be issued before the stillbirth is registered.