I am reaching out to you with a deeply personal story that highlights a pressing need for change in how we acknowledge and document the brief lives of babies born asleep. When I lost my son at 19 weeks of pregnancy, I was not only confronted with the overwhelming grief of losing him but also the harsh reality that I could not obtain a birth or death certificate for him. I went into labor, and my son was born asleep, yet due to the law requiring these certificates only for pregnancies of 25 weeks or more, his existence, however short, went unrecognized by official records.

This lack of recognition compounded the trauma for me and countless others who endure similar heartbreak. The inability to formally acknowledge our babies adds an extra layer of emotional strain during an already devastating time. Every year, thousands of families in our community and across the nation face this silent loss, and they deserve the dignity of recognizing their children's birth and death.

Current regulations fail to consider the profound impact that the loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy has on parents. The grief experienced does not conform to a timeline set by legislation. Therefore, it is crucial that the law is amended to allow parents whose babies are born asleep after 12 weeks of pregnancy to obtain both a birth and a death certificate.

Making this change would provide much-needed closure and offer an official acknowledgment that these babies existed and were deeply loved. It would help families honor their memory, knowing that they made a mark in this world, however brief. Moreover, it would facilitate the grieving process, allowing parents to proceed with rituals and remembrances that are vital for healing.

I urge lawmakers to evaluate the profound benefits of such a change, which would require minimal adjustments to existing systems yet deliver immense emotional relief to grieving families. This change will not only acknowledge all stages of loss but also show compassion and support for mourning parents.

Please join me in advocating for a change that would provide dignity and acknowledgment to those most vulnerable. Sign this petition to urge legislators to amend the law, allowing parents to register both birth and death certificates for babies born asleep after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Your signature could be a step toward healing and recognition for countless grieving families.