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Disclaimer / Limitations
This country’s legal measures were reviewed by our legal staff in consultation with in-country lawyers and/or CRVS legal experts. All efforts were made to ensure the accuracy of the legal analysis, however, if you consider there to be any discrepancies or if there have been changes in the law of the country since our staff last updated the legal analysis, we welcome any additional information or insights. Please contact us via this form.
Stillbirth Reporting
Zambia
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Zambia
Stillbirth Reporting
Other requirements
Other requirements
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Does the law require or request medical certification of cause of death for stillbirths? If yes, does the medical certificate of cause of death used, accord with the WHO MCCD form?
MCCD not required
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
The Cause of Death for stillbirths should be medically certified in the same way as for other deaths. WHO recommends the medical certification of cause of death of stillbirths using the standard WHO medical certificate of cause of death form.
There is no requirement for a medical certificate of cause of death to report a stillbirth. The notice of birth for a stillborn child (Form X) requires the informant to state “Cause of death and nature of evidence that child was still-born”. In terms of Section 14(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, any person giving notice of a stillbirth for registration must also, if possible, provide a written certificate stating that the child was not born alive signed by a registered medical practitioner or certified midwife who was in attendance at the birth, or who has examined the body of the child.
Does the law require that funeral, burial and cremation services request proof of stillbirth registration or reporting?
Unclear
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
In most countries, when a stillbirth occurs in a health facility, the family is offered the option of the health facility carrying out disposal of the stillborn baby or releasing the stillborn baby to the family for burial or cremation. If the family choses to bury or cremate the stillborn baby, the provider of the funeral, burial or cremation service should be required to request proof that the stillbirth was reported to the registrar before final disposition.
After a stillbirth is registered, the Registrar issues a permit for burial of the stillbirth along with a “still-birth certificate” confirming the particulars recorded in respect of the stillbirth in terms of Rule 31 of the Births and Deaths Registration (General) Rules.
The law does not explicitly require that proof of stillbirth registration be presented to funeral, burial and cremation services, but it does require reporting to the Registrar in connection with stillbirths. Rule 39 of the Births and Deaths Registration (General) Rules requires anyone who effects the disposal of the body of a deceased person to notify the Registrar immediately. In addition, Section 18(2) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act requires the custodian or person in charge of any burial place to furnish returns to the Registrar from time to time with details of all burials. These rules appear to cover stillbirths as well as other deaths. In terms of the Public Health (Crematoria and Cremation) Regulations, cremation of a stillborn child is permitted if the child is certified to be stillborn by a medical practitioner and if the medical referee of the crematorium is satisfied that the child was stillborn, that there is no reason for further medical examination and that the stillbirth was duly registered. The superintendent of a crematorium must sent a notification of each cremation to the relevant Registrar within 96 hours of the cremation.
Does the law require that health facility or health professional attending a stillbirth provide to the parent(s) a medical record of fetal death, or equivalent document, to facilitate burial or cremation?
Yes
Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines
If reporting takes place through the health sector only, the health facility should provide a medical record of the fetal death to the parents, if needed for burial or cremation of the fetus.
Any person giving notice of a stillbirth for registration must provide a written certificate stating that the child was not born alive, signed by a registered medical practitioner or certified midwife who was in attendance at the birth or who has examined the body of the child. (A declaration can be substituted where no health professional was involved.) After a stillbirth is registered, the Registrar issues a “disposal certificate” for the purpose of burial of the stillbirth along with a “still-birth certificate” confirming the particulars recorded in respect of the stillbirth.
