The Government has launched a dedicated website for parents to register stillborn babies, replacing a process that previously required use of a platform designed for live births.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced the new site, called Whetūrangitia, which allows parents to complete registration, request birth certificates, and find support resources in one place. Parents can still choose to use the existing SmartStart system if they wish.
Until now, stillborn registrations had to go through SmartStart, a service built for families with newborns. Doocey said "losing a baby is a deeply traumatic and heartbreaking experience" and that requiring bereaved families to navigate a live-birth system "was causing more pain".
The site's design drew on input from people who have lost pregnancies or babies, with particular attention to language and imagery aimed at reducing distress.
The announcement comes alongside $5 million in funding to speed up mental health support for bereaved parents, including assessment and ongoing care. Between 700 and 900 families experience perinatal loss in New Zealand each year, with a further 13,000 to 15,000 families affected by miscarriage before 20 weeks annually.