Tuesday, January 28, 2003

How ironic can the government get?! Illinois has a bill pending in the state legislature, HB0003, which would allow the state to prescribe and distribute a form for a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. The bill would require the person who files a fetal death certificate to also prepare a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.

I have all the sympathy in the world for families who endure a stillbirth. It is a terrible tragedy. Perhaps a certificate of birth would help ease their pain. I don’t know.

But here’s the irony of the situation. I am an adopted adult in Illinois and I am not entitled to access my original birth certificate without a show of good cause and a court order, something that is extremely hard to come by.

As an adult citizen of this state, I demand to be able to access my original birth certificate in the same way as every other person. Just think! If this bill were to pass, Illinois would issue certificates of births to dead fetuses but still refuse to release to adopted ADULTS the original certificates of their own births.

7 comments:

Cynthia said...

I am a sister of a brother and sister that are adopted. I love them dearly and would hate if they were having to fight for their own birth certificate. My sister has been blessed with receiving her birth certificate and meeting her birth mother. My brother on the other hand has no desire to take any action. Everyone deserves as a human the right to have personal informtion. I am also a mother of a child that died resulting in stillbirth. I understand your desire and passion on your fight to have your birth certificate, but I do not understand you trying to compare the two issues. It is not right to compare your anguish to anothers. I would not try to lessen your pain over mine. My child is dead, so no a certificate would not lessen my pain. It would merely be an acknowledgement of my child's life and my 9 month pregnancy. She died from a knot in her cord. She was perfectly healthy. Do not call her a fetus- she is a baby.With that kind of view it shows that this country has no value for human life. Thankfully my brother and sister's mother decided to give them life. I wish you the best with your fight for your rights, but don't try to make my fight seem less important. After all you are living. I am trying to have my deceased daughter's life acknowledged. At least you have a birth certificate to fight for.

Anonymous said...

you dont know your right youve never lost a child.

To reffer to my child as a fetus is disgusting.

Its not right you dont get a certificate or our babys so just leave it at that

Anonymous said...

How dare you call full-term stillborn babies fetuses?! Do you have any children of your own? Can you imagine how you would feel holding your dead baby born after 9 months of expection, pain, hope and fear, and to have someone refer to it as a "fetus". The term you are using does not apply past the 25th week of pregnancy. You are hurting a lot of grieving mothers...

Anonymous said...

While I absolutely agree that adults who were adopted should be able to receive their original birth certificates, I strongly disagree with the author stating the "irony" of stillbirths receiving certificates of their own. Last year, my daughter died during labor and was stillborn and in no way is her presence in this world less significant than another child who had the opportunity to take their first breath. I appreciate the author stating that she had sympathy for those of us who have experienced a stillbirth, however by her stating that "perhaps a certificate would help these families" she clearly does not understand how important receiving a certificate of stillbirth/birth would be for families so that their infants are actually acknowledged in society's eyes. I truly hope that one day adopted adults will be able to receive their birth certificates, however the author should not be using stillbirths as a method to further her argument and cause.

Anonymous said...

i would like to address this firstly i understand someone that is an adopted child want a birth certificate to have some form of identity and to have more information on there birth and biological parents but, as a mother who has lost her daughter from still birth how dare you say something so
negative about "dead fetuses" receiving a birth certificate who said that my baby that was not born should not have a certificate of identity? All though she has pass i have nothing to say she was born or died no identity as if she never existed and i know my Jayla was carried in my womb and had an personality and she was delivered in a hospital so why should she not be respected and have a "birth" certificate and not be referred to as a"dead fetus" she is a little girl and i will not allow ignorant people such as yourself disrespect people who lost there children from still birth at least you are alive!Be thankful!!

Anonymous said...

I think you're very inconsiderate for even comparing your situation to the law passed to give the parent(s) of a stillborn the right to a birth certificate. My daughter was stillborn and you have NO idea how it feels. God forbid you ever have to endure the loss of a child - then you MIGHT understand the importance of that bill to the women who have lost their baby or babies. Get over yourself.

NEW YORK CBRS BILL said...

I delivered my stillborn daughter at 37.5 weeks. I wouldn't consider her a fetus; nor does the medical community.

Be careful of your words. They tend to hurt others.

Good luck with your legislation.