How to apply for a baby loss certificate, and if it's the right choice for you

Baby loss certificates are now available for parents who have experienced a loss of pregnancy before 24 weeks as part of a voluntary scheme.

While it is hoped to help the grieving process and offer more support, with there previously no formal recognition for bereaved parents in this situation, it is also something many will be navigating for the first time (and some may understandably find difficult).

So, what exactly are baby loss certificates, how can you apply for one, and is it the right decision for you? Here's everything we know, including advice from charities Sands, Tommy's, and The Miscarriage Association, who have helped to raise awareness of the issue.

What are baby loss certificates?

Baby loss certificates have been introduced to help formally recognise the devastating loss of a baby during pregnancy, delivering on priorities set out in the Women's Health Strategy for England in January 2024 and on recommendations from the Pregnancy Loss Review in July 2023.

Parents who have experienced this loss before the 24 weeks – as of 22 February 2024 at 9am – are now able to apply to record and receive a certificate as part of the free service. The certificate is not compulsory and remains down to all parents to manage the difficult time however they see fit or works for them.

Rowena Pailing, Sands' head of bereavement support services tells Yahoo UK: "Being able to apply for a baby loss certificate could be of great comfort to anyone who has experienced one or more pregnancy losses before 24 weeks. Having an official document to acknowledge that your baby existed can make a big difference to those parents who want to have a certificate.

"It can help a person feel that their experience and their baby or babies are acknowledged and validated. It can also help them process their grief, be a way to start conversations with family and friends, and form a lasting memory of the baby or babies they never got to meet."

"For many people, even the earliest of pregnancy losses means the loss of a much-wanted baby and all the hopes, plans and dreams they had for that child. Until now, there has been no formal recognition of these tiny lives, in the way that there is with losses from 24 weeks of pregnancy," adds a spokesperson from The Miscarriage Association.

"The new optional certificates provide that recognition, validating the feelings that many women and partners have, as one of our members notes: 'It’s a lonely and isolating time and sometimes to just have something tangible that you can hold that says actually this did happen… and that the grief is real and valid, is very, very important to people.'"

The independent Pregnancy Loss Review, originally commissioned in 2018, concluded that while it currently may not be possible to prevent many pre 24 week pregnancy losses from occurring, much more can be done to ensure each grieving parent received 'excellent care and compassionate support'.

The certificate is an official but not legal document – you cannot use it to claim benefits. It also won't be added to your GP record.

Who can apply for a baby loss certificate?

The certificate is available for either parent to access following a loss under 24 weeks since 1 September 2018. However, the Department of Health and Social Care says it will 'look to expand eligibility for certificates pre-dating September 2018 as soon as we can'.

Applicants must be at least 16 and have been living in England at the time of the loss. In full, you can ask for a certificate if all these apply:

• you’ve lost a baby before the 24th week of pregnancy

• you’re one of the baby’s parents or surrogate

• you’re at least 16

• your pregnancy ended on or after 1 September 2018

• you lived in England when you lost your baby

• you live in England

If your pregnancy ends from 24 weeks onwards, you need to register a stillbirth instead.

Welcoming the announcement at the time, Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of Tommy’s said, "The new scheme is being launched in England only, although people in Scotland can already apply to have their loss recorded in the Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss Prior to 24 Weeks, and receive a certificate of inclusion in the book.

"We hope the scheme can be fully rolled out across the UK as soon as possible, so that everyone who wants to apply for a certificate is eligible, no matter when or where they experienced pregnancy loss."

How to apply for baby loss certificates

You can request a baby loss certificate in memory of your baby via the gov.uk website – again, this is an optional service and there is no pressure or requirement to apply if you prefer not to.

Before you start, you will need:

• your NHS number or postcode registered with your GP

• the mobile phone number or email address registered with your GP

• permission from the other parent and their email address, if you want their name on the certificate

Then click, 'start now' and continue with the online form – if you want your certificate in a different format or cannot request the certificate online, email babylosscertificate@nhsbsa.nhs.uk or call 0300 330 9445.

If you've lost more than one pregnancy, you can apply separately to get a certificate for each baby loss.

Your certificate should arrive in the post within 14 days.

How to decide if a baby loss certificate is right for you

"Applying for a baby loss certificate is an entirely personal decision and there is no right or wrong way to grieve," says Pailing of Sands.

"Some people whose pregnancy ends before 24 weeks very much identify as parents who have lost a baby, but others who have the same experience can feel very differently, and not necessarily see themselves in that way. It is also the case that what people may want or need can change over time, so they don’t have to make a decision immediately.

"As the new Baby Loss Certificate is only currently available to people who are more recently bereaved, Sands' commemorative 'birth certificates' are still available for any bereaved parents who would like to have them, wherever they live in the UK. If someone is feeling unsure whether this is right for them they could contact our bereavement support services to discuss their options and how they are feeling."

The Miscarriage Association says, "Making these certificates optional is important. We know that while they will bring comfort to many people, others will not want one. They may feel they don’t need any external validation of their loss, or they have moved on."

What for those who may find the thought hard or triggering? "We understand that announcements like this can be difficult and we are here to support anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, however recently or longer ago, for as long as they need. We would suggest that people take the time they need to decide what feels right for them," adds Pailing.

"There are many ways of remembering a baby and we are happy to listen to concerns and talk through possibilities with anyone who is not sure. We will continue to offer our range of free commemorative 'birth certificates' for anyone who wants one for their baby or babies. You can order these online, alongside a range of other bereavement support materials."

You can contact Sands' helpline on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk.

• Read more: Miscarriage: What happens and where to find support (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Read more: How men are impacted by miscarriage, as Mike Tindall opens up about baby loss (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)

• Read more: My first baby was stillborn, now I’m determined to help other grieving parents (Yahoo Life UK, 10-min read)

Watch: Grieving parents share heartbreaking journey of baby daughter to break stigma of asking questions about baby loss