The Government has launched a dedicated website for registering stillborn babies, replacing a system that used forms designed for live births.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey unveiled Whetūrangitia, which includes grief support resources and reduces the number of questions families found distressing. Families had previously complained that being asked to use the standard birth registration process was inappropriate and upsetting.
But perinatal and infant loss educator Vicki Culling has called for the Government to waive the $37 fee for stillbirth certificates. "In amongst this raw grief, to hop online to register your baby who has died, and then you get to the end ... and it's, 'That's $37, thanks'," she said.
One parent told Culling the charge "felt like a kick in the guts", while another said: "My baby's not going to ever cost this country anything, and I have to pay for this certificate."
Culling estimates removing the fee would cost less than $20,000 annually. Between 700 and 900 families experience perinatal loss in New Zealand each year.
Doocey said the Department of Internal Affairs and Health NZ were considering the fee waiver. "At the moment, DIA and Health NZ are actively working on that. I'll take advice from them when that is ready," he said.
Millie Simchowitz, who lost her son Mohi in 2024 shortly after birth, attended the website launch. She said the previous site helped her find support, including memory mapping tools and resources like handprint casts.