Northern Ireland Passes Landmark Bill Recognizing Pregnancy loss Under 24 Weeks
New legislation offers formal acknowledgement of miscarriage, aiming to break stigma and provide support for grieving families.
A new law passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday will provide formal recognition for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, a change advocates say will offer comfort and break down the stigma surrounding miscarriage. The Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill will allow parents who experience loss during early pregnancy to apply for a certificate acknowledging their bereavement.
For Gemma mcgibbon, 37, from Portadown in County Armagh, the new legislation is a deeply personal victory. Having experienced four miscarriages between April 2022 and November 2023, while also raising two daughters, she understands the isolating nature of early pregnancy loss. “It’s a way that we’ll be able to honour those babies and formally recognize our loss and it’s something we’ll be able to keep as part of our family story,” she said. Currently, in Northern Ireland, a baby’s death is only officially recorded as a stillbirth after 24 weeks, leaving a gap in formal recognition for losses that occur earlier – a disparity that doesn’t exist in England.
The certificates issued under the new law are government-issued documents, not legal ones, but their significance lies in validation. “It’s vital for society to formally recognise baby loss prior to 24 weeks,” McGibbon emphasized. She intends to apply for a certificate for each of her losses.
The journey to this point involved sustained campaigning and cross-party political support. The Department of Finance drafted the bill, responding to calls for greater acknowledgement of early pregnancy loss and the emotional toll it takes on individuals and families. one woman,Julie-ann Coll from londonderry,who lost a baby at 22 weeks 21 years ago,described the news as “a big step,” stating,”To have this bit of paper and acknowledge that this did happen… you weren’t crazy,the feelings that you felt,we acknowledge them and there’s the proof now.”
Stormont’s Finance Minister John O’Dowd hailed the bill as offering “a small candlelight of hope” to families in Northern ireland. He stated that he believes it is indeed “the most critically important or meaningful” piece of legislation he has brought forward, adding that it will provide “formal recognition and acknowledgement of their loss” to bereaved parents. O’Dowd intends for the scheme to be operational by the end of the current financial year in March.
The legislation also addresses inequalities in birth and stillbirth registration for same-sex and heterosexual couples. Currently, different options exist for couples who are not married or in a civil partnership, with same-sex female couples facing barriers to jointly registering a birth or stillbirth. The new law aims to ensure “equality in the registration process.” Moreover, the bill will permanently authorize remote registration of deaths and stillbirths and the electronic transfer of related documents.
Assembly member Matthew O’Toole, chair of Stormont’s finance committee, described the move as a “small but meaningful gesture,” emphasizing the importance of ensuring no family feels their loss is unrecognized. Deputy Chair diane Forsythe acknowledged the campaigners who pushed for the change, highlighting its recognition of the “reality of early pregnancy loss.” Jessica Purvis, a key advocate for the certificates, shared that it was “unbelievable” to see something positive emerge from a deeply painful period in her life, having lost her daughter at 17 weeks. “It maybe doesn’t ease the pain, but it brings some comfort to families,” she said.
Similar initiatives are underway elsewhere in the United Kingdom. the Welsh government is planning a comparable scheme, and Scotland has been running a memorial book for pre-24 week losses since 2023.
The passage of this bill represents a significant shift in societal acknowledgement of early pregnancy loss, offering a tangible form of support and validation for grieving parents in Northern Ireland. As one advocate noted, “This moment belongs to everyone who shared their story and experience of unimaginable loss.”
