< Back to Previous Page Mom Seeks Birth Certificates for Stillborns Bernadette Perez of West Haverstraw wants to have a birth certificate issued for her daughter, Karissa Marie Bermudez, even though her daughter was a stillbirth. Perez’s home is filled with wonderful memories of her only daughter, a daughter that she never got the chance to know. Even though her daughter was born, as a stillbirth, Perez still does not have any legal proof that the birth actually occurred because the state of New York does not issue birth certificates for stillborn babies. Perez has teamed up with a group of other women located throughout the Lower Hudson Valley that want to create legislation that will allow the state to issue birth certificates for stillborn babies. Close to 25,000 pregnancies result in a stillbirth in the United States each year. The definition of stillbirth is fetal death that occurs during pregnancy 20 weeks into gestation or later. 20 states across the country, including New Jersey, have created laws that allow the state to issue a birth certificate for a stillborn baby. Death certificates are issued for stillborn babies so that they may receive a proper funeral and burial. Stillbirths are difficult to predict as well as avoid at any level of medical care. Many women across the country wish that their stillborn children were issued a birth certificate as a way of receiving closure. If you or a loved one has lost a child due to a stillbirth, you should contact the law firm of Kleinick Law immediately for expert legal counsel regarding your case.