Celebrating 30 Years of Recognition: Honouring Our Stillborn Babies
Nearly 30 years ago, bereaved parents achieved a monumental victory—the establishment of the stillbirth register, which gave official recognition to stillborn babies. Their advocacy laid the foundation for generations to follow, ensuring these precious lives were acknowledged.
Recently, thanks to the tireless efforts of another group of bereaved parents, this recognition has been expanded. Key updates include:
Updated Stillbirth Definition: Babies born after 23 weeks of gestation (previously 24) or with a weight of 400g or more (previously 500g) are now recognised. This change is retrospective, meaning families can register babies born decades ago under these revised criteria.
Stillbirth Record: Since September 2024, families can opt into a public stillbirth record, allowing their baby’s information to be accessible to future generations. As one parent poignantly noted, “Future family trees will now include not only the flowers that bloomed but also those precious buds that never got an opportunity to.”
If you wish to add your baby to the public stillbirth record, email the baby’s name and date of stillbirth to stillbirthrecords@welfare.ie. A new certificate will also be issued.
A heartfelt thank you to all who have fought for the recognition of stillborn babies and the right to cherish their memories openly. Together, we honour these lives and the love they leave behind.
