Parents Can Bury Stillborn Children or Opt for Cremation, New Bill Proposed

The Ministry of Health is proposing to give parents the opportunity to take responsibility for the burial of stillborn children, should they express a desire to do so. This information was reported today, March 31, through the draft law on "Organizing Burials and Operating Cemeteries and Crematoriums" published on the Unified Website for Legal Acts.

According to the current legislation, stillborn children cannot be buried, as there is no official registration of the death of a stillborn child, and a death certificate is a necessary condition for burial. Additionally, a stillborn does not qualify as biological waste.

The ministry argues that if a parent refuses to take responsibility for the burial, it is proposed that the dead body be cremated according to procedures established by the state governing body in the field of burial organization and the operation of cemeteries and crematoriums.

The Ministry of Health also reports that currently, the remains of stillborn fetuses are disposed of through "ECOLOGIA V. K. H." LLC, which operates under a license for the disposal of hazardous waste, under an agreement with organizations that conduct fetal dissection, provided that the stillborn fetus is not classified as biological waste.

With the adoption of the draft law, the ministry expects to fill a legislative gap and regulate the issue of burial or cremation of stillborn children.