New certificate to recognise baby loss pre-24 weeks
Abortion
In its response to a Pregnancy Loss Review, the UK Government has decided to introduce, with immediate effect, a certificate of baby loss in recognition of lives lost before 24 weeks.
It's an optional certificate and will provide official recognition of the loss of the child in the womb.
The Government is also committed to reviewing existing guidance on the sensitive handling of baby remains following awful stories of women being told to retrieve the remains of their baby from the toilet or store them in the fridge.
Today CARE welcomed the new certificate, although the charity also pointed out the contradiction whereby babies lost to abortion pre-24 weeks are not recognised, while babies lost to miscarriage are.
A spokeswoman said:
We welcome this new certificate. It's absolutely right the Government recognises the very real sadness and trauma that go along with losing a baby through miscarriage.
But it is sad that we still fail to properly acknowledge the number of babies lost to abortion pre-24 weeks.
We think every baby lost, whether through abortion or miscarriage is a tragedy and should be recognised as such.
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New certificate to recognise baby loss pre-24 weeks