5. “Late miscarriages”

Sadly, if your baby was born dead before 1992 and before 28 completed weeks of pregnancy, there will probably be no record of his or her birth, or of burial or cremation. Until 1992, the legal definition of stillbirth was a baby born dead before 28 completed weeks of pregnancy. In 1992, the legal definition was changed to 24 completed weeks. All babies born dead before the legal age of stillbirth are considered in law to be “late miscarriages”. Their birth cannot be registered and the law does not require them to be formally buried or cremated, so cemeteries and crematoria have never been required to keep records of these babies. In recent years, with greater understanding of the significance of the death of a baby at any stage of pregnancy, more babies born before 24 weeks have been formally buried or cremated. Proper records are more likely to have been kept for some of these babies. Sands can provide certificates for you to complete with your baby’s details here (shop-sands.org.uk/en/products/bereavementsupport)