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. The law allows a stillbirth to be registered in any registration district in Scotland. A list of Highland registration offices can be found under Contacts.
Who can Register a Stillbirth in Scotland?
- A child's father or mother has a duty to register the stillbirth.
Only in exceptional circumstances is it possible for another relative to register the stillbirth, you should contact the registrar in advance for advice.
- A father who is not married to the mother can only register the stillbirth and be named in the register as the father if;
- He jointly signs the register with the mother;
- He and the mother sign declarations (these are available from the registrar) that he is the father; or
- A court declares that he is the father and the mother registers the stillbirth.
What Documents should I take to the Registrar?
- The certificate of stillbirth
- the parents' marriage certificate (if they are married to each other). Please note that the registration can still proceed if this is unavailable.
Documents Issued by the Registrar at the time of Stillbirth Registration
- A certificate of registration of stillbirth for production to the person in charge of the burial ground or crematorium;
- If one of the parents registers the stillbirth and requests it, an extract of the entry in the register (free of charge).
How do I obtain an extract from an entry in the Register of Stillbirths?
Extracts of stillbirth records from 1939 onwards are available from General Register Office for Scotland for a fee. Due to the sensitive nature of stillbirth registrations, these extracts are usually only issued to the parents of the stillborn child. However, siblings of stillborn children may apply, either with the express consent of a parent, or on their own behalf, where they can demonstrate that their parents are no longer alive.