Certificate of Stillbirth

The definition of "Stillbirth" means that an infant suffered a fetal death. A free certificate of stillbirth can be obtained from January 1, 1954 to the present from the Ohio Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics.  Should you have questions or concerns regarding the following information, please call our customer service team at (614) 466-2531.

A fetal death certificate must be filed by the local health department in order for our office to issue a free commemorative certificate of stillbirth (the fetal death certificate is the form on which medical and demographic information is collected; the certificate of stillbirth is the summary of facts issued free of charge to grieving parents).  To order a free certificate of stillbirth from the Ohio Department of Health, click here to use the vital record application and follow the same instructions as for birth and fetal death records.

Records from January 1918, through December 1953, can be obtained from The Ohio Historical Society

Effective September 12, 2008:  Senate Bill 175 allows either parent the ability to apply to file for a fetal death certificate at the local health department if the product of conception is less than 20 weeks. In order to file for this certificate, the hospital/doctor's office/clinic must prepare a written statement of the facts. The statement needs to include three important points:

1. Confirms the woman was pregnant and subsequently suffered a fetal demise of less than 20 weeks gestation
2. The date of the miscarriage
3. The signature of a physician or coroner confirming the facts

Once the statement of fact is presented to the local city/county health department, a fetal death certificate shall be prepared. No signature from an attendant or certifier will be needed to file this document, however, the local registrar will need to sign, date, and file the certificate utilizing their current office policies.

Things to remember:

• Either parent has up to 7 years to file a fetal death certificate for a fetal demise (September 2001 – present). As long as a signed physician’s statement can be obtained, a delayed fetal death certificate shall be filed by the office. No authorization from the state Office of Vital Statistics will need to be obtained in order to file a prior year under 20 weeks gestation fetal death certificate.
• A father of the child can also file for a fetal death certificate. A notarized statement from the mother shall be provided at the time of application indicating that the mother voluntarily provided the father with a copy of the physician’s statement of facts.
• A mother can elect to put father’s information on the record, even if she was not married at the time.
• A Certificate of Stillbirth can be obtained from the state Office of Vital Statistics (ODH/VS) after the state office has registered the certificate. The cost of the Certificate of Stillbirth is free.
• Only spontaneous terminations (miscarriages) less than 20 weeks gestation can be filed as a fetal death. Induced terminations (abortions) under 20 weeks gestation shall not permitted to be filed as a fetal death.
• If fetal remains are to be buried or cremated, the funeral director must be issued a burial permit and pay the cost of $3.00.

Last updated: 1/31/12