Registering a stillborn baby in the Netherlands

A stillbirth is registered with the municipality in which the child was born. The municipality then issues a birth certificate (geboorteakte) for a stillbirth. It does not matter how long the pregnancy lasted.

A birth certificate for a stillbirth is an official document, proving that your baby was born.

The birth certificate for a stillbirth is recorded in the Registers van de burgerlijke stand (Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships)

Choosing a surname for a stillborn baby

You may choose your child’s surname, which can be either the father’s or the mother’s surname. This choice does not affect the names of any subsequent children, meaning that you can choose a different surname in the future.

You can also register your stillborn baby in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen – BRP) if you wish. This is a different procedure from registering the birth of your baby as stillborn. You do this in the municipality where you live.

This is how it works for you

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Oude IJsselstreek

Here is some information from your municipality.

Registration stillborn child

When a child dies at birth or is stillborn, this is a tragic event. For parents, it can be very important or even help in the process of mourning tot register your child. Since 2018, you can register your deceased child, even if it is premature of foetal.

A stillbirth can be registered by:

the father or female partner of the mother;
the mother;
an employee of the hospital;
the funeral home;
others who know about the death.

Registration in the BRP

You can register your stillborn child in the Basisregistratie Personen – BRP (Personal Records Database) if you live or will be living in the Netherlands.

The death must be registered before the funeral or cremation takes place.

If your child is stillborn, make an appointment with the municipality where your child was born to register the birth. It is possible to acknowledge parenthood of your stillborn child upon registration. You can also have your child recorded in your wedding certificate booklet.

Please contact the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek first for more details Contact met de gemeente | Gemeente Oude IJsselstreek (oude-ijsselstreek.nl)

It is free to have an Akte van geboorte (levenloos) drawn up. An official copy of the certificate is not free of charge.

More information