‘I’m a bit envious, ‘says mum campaigning for baby loss cert

“I'm a bit envious, it's just a piece of paper but it's a piece of paper that would mean the world to parents like us,” said a Trim mother after baby loss certificates were introduced in England last week.

Caroline Smith and her husband Martin have been campaigning for six years for a similar certificate of life for babies born before 24 weeks since they lost their son, Stephen in 2015.

Last week, a new baby loss certificate scheme was introduced in England for parents who lost a baby within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. The new documents, which are not compulsory, are official but not legal.

Stephen Smith was 420 grams when he was born at 20 weeks and two days gestation but at present, the Irish state doesn't recognise that he existed at all because he was born before the 24 week cut off point and smaller than the 500 gram weight limit needed to get a stillborn certificate.

A new bill for the certificate of life, published by Senator Regina Doherty and Mary Seery Kearney, passed the first two stages of the Seanad but stalled at the third stage since 2022. It seeks to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 to 'allow the Minister for Health to create a non statutory new form of registration.

Although Stephen is not recognised by the State, Martin was handed a catalogue of coffins by a nurse while Caroline was in labour and told that while Stephen would not get a birth certificate, he was big enough for a funeral.

Stephen's ashes are now at home with Martin, Caroline and their three girls.

Under current Irish law, babies born either under 500 grams or before 24 weeks gestation - and showing no signs of life - are considered not viable and termed as a late miscarriage.

The new bill published by Senator Regina Doherty and Mary Seery Kearney seeks to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 to ‘allow the Minister for Health to create a non statutory new form of registration called a Certification of Life.’

“I gave birth to Stephen, I have his memory box and all his things. I have his pictures and I have held him and we cremated him,” said Caroline.

“I had to get a document from the crematorium to say that we are carrying human remains in a chain and in a keyring if we were to bring them out of the country.

“We had a service for him where family and friends came to pay their respects - but according to the Irish State, he never existed. As a parent, that is incomprehensible.

“This certificate will also allow these babies to be seen on a family tree. Just to have inclusion in the family is all we ever wanted. Basic recognition for all babies who don't come home from whatever stage of pregnancy.

“Once a couple sees that blue line on a pregnancy test, they have already dreamed of that child's future.

“I'm so happy and delighted that this certificate has been introduced but I'm a bit envious too to say the least because that's what we've been fighting for here for years and it's what we'd love to see happening here very soon.

“To have this recognition is huge. I know how much it would mean to my family and so many parents and family members to have that one piece of paper. I know it's just a piece of paper but to us it means so much, it means the world.

“We don't have the baby here with us but we do have the constant memories and the constant hopes of what that baby would be like or who they would look like. We know Stephen existed and we want the State to recognise that too.”