I wish to inform the House that the new baby loss certificate service has launched today.
As the House will be aware, the Government published the independent “Pregnancy Loss Review” in July 2023, alongside our response. The review examined the impact on families of not being able to formally register a baby or pregnancy loss before 24 weeks’ gestation.
In an interim report provided to me in 2022, the review recommended that the Government introduce a voluntary scheme to enable parents who have experienced a pre-24 weeks baby or pregnancy loss to record and receive a certificate to provide recognition of their loss. The recording and issuing of a certificate to bereaved parents who want one will provide comfort and support by validating their loss. I subsequently committed to introduce a certificate of baby loss in the women’s health strategy for England—July 2022.
Either parent is entitled to a certificate of baby loss if they have experienced a loss under 24 weeks’ gestation, are at least 16 years of age, and at least one parent was living in England at the time of the loss.
I am pleased that we are able to offer this on a retrospective basis to those who have already experienced a baby loss. Initially, this will be available to those who have experienced a loss since 1 September 2018. This will be continually assessed, and we will extend eligibility as soon as we can.
Delivering this important service highlights our continued commitment to delivering on the women’s health strategy and is an important step forward in supporting parents to provide recognition of a life lost.
[HCWS277]