For babies that die before 24 weeks gestation, there is no legal requirement to register the death. Registration is required by law for all babies who are born alive and who sadly die shortly after birth at any gestation. Babies who are stillborn on or after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy showing no signs of life are included on a stillbirth register.
If you live in England
You can apply for a baby loss certificate if your baby died before 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is a voluntary scheme and is designed to formally recognise the loss and grief that every family feels. Currently, eligibility only extends to families that have lost a baby since 1 September 2018, however there are plans to expand eligibility for certificates pre-dating 2018.
If you live in Scotland
You can register your baby's death in a Memorial Book if your baby was born at 24 weeks showing no signs of life.
Twins Trust certificates of birth
We provide certificates of birth, which you can download and print as a keepsake. We hope they provide families with some comfort and help to remember a baby or babies who have died.
The certificates can be printed and added to a memory box or kept in a special place. You can download the certificate relevant to you from the list below.
- Twins [to be linked]
- Triplets [to be linked]
- Individual baby [to be linked]
- Individual twin [to be linked]
- Individual triplet [to be linked]