Registration of stillbirths and certification for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks' gestation.

The law in England and Wales (Section 41 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 as amended by the Stillbirth Definition Act 1992), Scotland (Section 56(1) of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 as amended by the Stillbirth Definition Act 1992) and Northern Ireland (Births and Deaths Registration Order 1976 as amended by the Stillbirth Definition Northern Ireland Order 1992), requires that any ‘child’ expelled or issued forth from its mother after the 24th week of pregnancy that did not breathe or show any other signs of life be registered as a stillbirth.