Registering a Stillbirth
Who can register a Stillbirth in Scotland?
If the parents are married to each other either parent can register the still birth.
If the parents are not married to each other and they wish the father's name to appear on the stillbirth entry they should, ideally, attend together.
Further advice can be obtained from any registration office.
How and where do I register a Stillbirth?
Any stillbirth which occurs in Scotland must be registered within twenty one days by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. From January 2007 the law allows a birth to be registered in any registration district in Scotland. You can obtain the address of the local registrar from this website, the hospital or the doctor.
What documents should I take to the registrar?
You should take with you:
- The certificate of stillbirth (Form 6) issued by the hospital
- The marriage certificate of the child's parents
Do not worry if any of these documents are not available as the registrar can still proceed to register the stillbirth.
Documents you will receive
When the registration is complete the registrar will provide you with the following documents
- Certificate of registration of stillbirth (Form 8) for burial or cremation purposes, issued free of charge
- A stillbirth certificate can be requested by the parent if required, issued free of charge if applied for within one month of registration