Abstract

PIP: This Act amends a number of United Kingdom Acts relating to the registration of births to lower from 28 weeks to 24 weeks the period of gestation at which an unborn child that is miscarried during pregnancy will be considered "still-born." This change will allow the parents of such a child to register the child's birth, give it a name, receive a stillbirth certificate, and arrange for formal burial or cremation. Previously, they could only carry out these activities if the unborn child had reached 28 weeks' gestation. The Act also allows women experiencing a still birth at 24 weeks' gestation to receive maternity benefits. The Act was approved, in part, to harmonize the laws on registration of births with the Abortion Act 1967, which was amended in 1990 to allow abortions on social grounds to be performed only in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. This Law applies to England, Scotland, and Wales. The Still-birth (Definition) (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 (Statutory Instrument No. 1310 [Northern Ireland 10] of 1992) makes the same changes in the law applicable to Northern Ireland.