More bereaved parents in England will now be able to apply for a certificate to formally recognize the loss of their child.

The government has removed a cut-off date, which meant only those who have lost a pregnancy or had a miscarriage since September 2018 would be eligible.

And so the certificates are now available For anyone who lost their baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy (or 28 if the loss occurred before October 1992).

Applicants resident in England must be at least 16 years of age. Over 50,000 certificates have been issued so far, which are optional and free to obtain.

BBC presenter Emma Barnett Revealed in March After an emotional interview with Zoe Clarke-Coates, founder of baby-loss charity Mariposa Trust, she applied.

Emma said: “Like millions of women before me, the child lived within me and died within me.

“My body and mind were protectors and witnesses.

“Many people wouldn’t need a piece of paper. But the moment I realized I wanted to have one was when Zoe and I talked about having something official for the family file.

“Our loss is part of our family story and now there can be official paperwork to document it.”

If a baby is born dead after 24 weeks, the death is officially recorded as a stillbirth.

There is no official record of deaths before that stage.

But each year, in the UK, an estimated 250,000 pregnancies end through miscarriage – one death before 24 weeks – making it the most common complication of pregnancy, experienced by around one in five women.

And one of the recommendations of Recent independent review The government was to offer an infant-loss certificate for access to NHS care and support for parents who lose infants before 24 weeks, whether their loss is recent or historic.

Vicki Robinson, chief executive of the Abortion Association, said: “We know from the people we support how much the certification scheme has helped people who have experienced pregnancy loss, so it’s great news that people who have Losses that weren’t accepted before, they can now.”