Florida Becomes First State to Provide Certificates for Miscarriages Under New Law
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida will become the first state to issue what’s essentially a birth certificate to women who’ve had miscarriages.
Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Wednesday that will allow the state to start issuing “certificates of nonviable birth” beginning July 1.
Under the Grieving Families Act, the state will issue the certificates only if parents request them.
It would be available to women whose pregnancies end after nine weeks and before 20 weeks of gestation.
Pregnancies that end at 20 weeks or later are considered stillbirths, and death certificates must be issued. Parents also may request a birth certificate in such cases.
More: Florida becomes first state to provide certificates for miscarriages under new law