Recognition of Early Pregnancy Loss Certificate
Losing a child is a very lonely path to walk, no matter how much support you have around you. When you lose a child before 20 weeks, it can be especially complex, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, some families wait until 12 weeks to tell people, so when a loss occurs before this, chances are the support network is drastically reduced. Secondly, the lack of legal documentation that occurs after a loss prior to 20 weeks, can make families feel as though their loss was not recognised.
Did you know that in Australia, if a child is born before 20 weeks, if weeks are unknown or a baby weighed less than 400grams at birth, a legal document is not required or given to the family to acknowledge their loss?
No birth certificate, no death certificate. It’s easy to see how a family can feel as though their loss didn’t mean something, that it wasn’t recognised or acknowledged. When a baby dies so early, there may not be a lot of memories to hold on to. So how does a family continue to remember their child when there is little to no physical proof of their existence?
There is now the option of a Recognition of Early Pregnancy Loss certificate that families can apply for in these circumstances that will commemorate and recognise their early pregnancy loss. It is not a legal document, but it gives families the chance to officially acknowledge their baby when a birth certificate is unable to be issued.
These certificates are free of charge and can be applied for at any time, however you will need to discuss this with your medical practitioner or midwife to ensure the health professional’s declaration is completed correctly.
To make applying easy, I have linked the information below on eligibility and how you can apply based on your state/territory. If you require further information about your specific circumstances, please contact Births, Deaths and Marriages in your state/territory for more personalised information.
New South Wales
Recognition of Early Pregnancy Loss Certificate
Victoria
Early Pregnancy Loss Commemorative Certificate
Queensland
Early Pregnancy Loss Recognition Certificate
South Australia
Early Loss of Pregnancy Certificate
Western Australia
Recognition Certificate of Early Pregnancy Loss
Northern Territory
Commemorative Certificate of Early Delivery
Tasmania
Early Pregnancy Loss Recognition Certificate
We truly hope these certificates allow families to feel supported, recognised and comforted in a truly difficult time. Acknowledgement, not just of a loss, but of a baby is so important to families, especially when there wasn’t a lot of time to build memories with their child to look back on.
If you know someone who has experienced early pregnancy loss, make sure they are aware of this incredible service. Small steps like these certificates can make a huge difference in the lives of the bereaved parent. And supporting your friend to ensure they have access to this information is absolutely priceless.