Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan already issue a Certificate of Birth or Stillbirth for stillborns

Several other countries already provide a Certificate of Birth for Stillborn Infants including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

The following letter was received in Canada:

Dear Nancy Slinn:

The Honourable Corky Evans, Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors has asked me to respond to your recent e-mail note forwarded to his office on your behalf by Alison Kopelman. You have inquired as to the current definition of "Stillbirth" and the registration protocols for registering them.

The terms "Stillbirth" and "Birth," as defined within the provisions of the Vital Statistics Act of British Columbia represent common definitions utilized in British Columbia and across Canada for both statistical and medical purposes. The registration of vital events is a provincial jurisdiction and you will find that the definitions are similar in each province's Vital Statistics legislation. In addition, each province adheres to common data standards determined by Statistics Canada and representing international practices and guidelines. The term "Stillbirth" is defined within the Vital Statistics Act of British Columbia as follows:

"stillbirth" means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother after at least 20 weeks' pregnancy, or after attaining a weight of at least 500 g, of a product of conception in which, after the expulsion or extraction, there is no breathing, beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or unmistakable movement of voluntary muscle.

In Canada, unlike the United States, an event that meets the above criteria is not registered as a death but as a specific vital event known as a "Registration of Stillbirth." I feel you will find that the qualification as a still birth however, is not necessarily a determinant of the parent(s) ability to arrange for a service, burial or cremation if their desires are made known to hospital authorities.

In addition, I would like to advise that in British Columbia, parents of stillborn infants may obtain a genealogical certificate similar to that available to the public for births and this service has been found to provide parents with a means to record and memorialize this very personal event.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and the time you have taken to bring them to the Minister's attention.

Yours sincerely,

 R. J. Danderfer

 CEO/Director

 British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency

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