Registering a stillbirth

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Registering a stillbirth

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Stillbirths in Scotland should be registered within 21 days.

Stillbirths can be registered at any Registration office in Scotland. You can get details of registrars from your local council.

Find a registrar

You can find which local council area you live in by clicking here

How to register a stillbirth

Contact the registration office where you wish to register the stillbirth and they will advise how to register the event.

You may be offered:

an in-person appointment
the option to register the stillbirth by telephone or during an online call (a ‘remote registration’)

When registering the stillbirth, you will be asked to provide information regarding the still birth, to be recorded on the still birth entry. You will also be asked for additional information which does not appear on the register entry but is gathered for statistical purposes.

During your appointment the registrar will ask you to:

confirm the accuracy of the information given
provide a signature for the register entry

Who can register a stillbirth

In Scotland, a stillbirth can be registered by:

either parent, if the parents are married or in a civil partnership
the mother, if the parents are not married or in a civil partnership

Either parent can register the stillbirth. Both parents’ details can be recorded on the stillbirth entry.

It is helpful to provide a copy of the parents’ marriage or civil partnership extract (certificate) when registering the stillbirth.

The mother should normally register the stillbirth.

The father’s/parent’s details can be recorded on the stillbirth entry at the time of registration if they jointly register the stillbirth with the mother either:

in person
remotely

If the father/parent is unable to jointly register the stillbirth with the child’s mother at the time of registration, both the mother and father/parent can:

complete declaration forms prior to registration
submit them to the registrar during the stillbirth registration

The registrar at the chosen registration office will confirm what declaration forms are required.

Other secondary informants may be able to register the stillbirth if the mother is unable to do so. Contact your chosen registration office for more information, if the mother is unable to register the stillbirth.

Certificate of Stillbirth (Form 6)

This is a certificate that is produced by the registered medical practitioner who was attending at the time of the stillbirth. It will be forwarded directly to the registration office of your choice. If requested, a copy of the Form 6 can also be emailed to the person who will be registering the stillbirth.

After the registration has been completed

The registrar will provide you with a Certificate of Registration of Still-Birth (Form 8), free of charge. This form allows for funeral arrangements to be made.

The registrar will offer to send the Form 8 to your funeral director. If you have not decided on a funeral director, the registrar will offer to email or post a copy of the Form 8 to you.

If you want an extract (certificate) of the stillbirth, you can request it from the registrar. They will seek the Registrar General’s consent to provide it to you.

If the parents are married or in a civil partnership

If the parents are not married or in a civil partnership