You should register a stillbirth within 42 days.
Sometimes a stillbirth can be registered after 42 days. The register office can explain when this can happen.
A stillbirth cannot be registered until a medical certificate of the cause of death has been issued. This may be issued by the:
- family doctor
- hospital doctor
- midwife.
Sometimes, the coroner’s office will need to do a post-mortem to understand the death. If that’s the case, the coroner’s office will contact you when you can make an appointment with the register office.
Once you have registered the stillbirth, you can arrange a funeral for your baby.
You can name the baby in the register.
If you need to arrange a funeral quickly
The funeral director, Slough Crematorium and the register office can arrange a funeral quickly if:
- the register office has received the medical certificate of cause of death
- it is for religious reasons.