Probably badly. The trend seems to be that once other people decide that they have a stake in the pregnancy, their ideas about what should happen automatically supersede the pregnant woman’s. Her opinions and wishes become obstacles to get around. It’s unpleasant when the other people are relatives and in-laws, but they usually can’t do anything but badger her about it. The state, on the other hand, has the ability to legislate maternal choice out of existence and enforce their decrees through police action and licensing boards. The odds that they wouldn’t once they’ve got a legal foundation of fetal-citizenship don’t strike me as terribly good.

I can see how tricky this is to balance with abortion rights. I don’t know how we can ensure women’s access to abortion while maintaining the legal personhood of babies in utero. I don’t have any answers. I also don’t know how this would mesh with my stance on birth (as in, it should happen in the home with as little interference as possible)… as Mnemosyne mentioned, a *hospital* / authority must document what happened.

:: ? ::

A death certificate is a legal thing.

As I pointed out above, in most states in the US, you are issued a death certificate after a stillbirth. And it is a legal thing — the hospital needs to document that someone went into labor but a live child did not result.

The issue in France (though it’s hard to tell from this article) seems to be that people are asking for a death certificate after any miscarriage, not just one that comes after the point of viability.

Issuing a death certificate in the case of a stillborn fetus is not something new and strange. It’s the asking for one to be issued for a pre-viability miscarriage that’s new.

It’s a little difficult to tell from the article, but sounds like they were allowed to keep a stillbirth (22 weeks or after for them, it would seem) for interment, but not the remains of a miscarriage. My guess on the rationale would be health laws as well. I recall something about French interment laws being somewhat strict, particularly in cities, which might have resulted in a catch-22 situation even if hospital staff was sympathetic.

Does anyone know WHY French women aren’t allowed to keep the remains of a stillbirth?

My guess? Health laws.

My mother had a stillborn daughter (at full term) before I was born, who has a small grave in the cemetary most of my relatives are buried in. When my dad died a few years ago and a double-plot was bought for him and eventually my mom, she specifically chose one with a little half-plot available next to it, and moved the body and marker from the “baby section” to be next to them. They had 2 healthy children after that, and didn’t dwell in an unhealthy manner, but I think the tangible evidence of something major that happened to them has been important.

IF they’d like to help grieving parents more, offer reduced rates and more availability for counseling. Push insurance to offer more mental/behavior health benefits. And improve conditions for pregnant women all over.