Registering birth, live birth, premature birth and surrogacy Flashcards
Define live birth?
Foetus exits maternal body and subsequently shows any sign of life, regardless of briefness of time, intactness of umbilical cord and placenta
At what gestational stage does the foetus have to be, so that when it exits the mother’s body it is defined as a live birth?
Any gestational stage
Give 3 examples of signs of life that a foetus presents with in a live birth?
Voluntary movement
Umbilical cord pulsates
Heartbeat
Define full-term birth?
Born between 38-42 completed weeks of gestation
Define premature birth?
Born alive before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy
Define miscarriage?
Spontaneous pregnancy loss before 24 weeks gestation
Can miscarriage occur at any time during the gestational period?
No, must be before 24 weeks gestation
Define stillbirth?
Born after 24 weeks of pregnancy and did not at any time after being completely expelled from its mother, breathe or show any other signs of life
Compare when a miscarriage and stillbirth can occur during gestation period?
Miscarriage: Before 24 weeks
Stillbirth: After 24 weeks
Which act states the definitions of live, full-term, premature births and miscarriages, and which act was this amended by to include stillbirth?
Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, which was amended by Stillborn (Definition) Act 1992
Which act legalised surrogacy in the UK?
Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985
Define the role of the surrogate mother, and who does she hand the child over to?
Woman who carries a child in pursuance of arrangement made before she began carrying child and with view that child would be handed over to Intended Parents
Is surrogacy enforced by the law in UK, and is this affected by whether the contract and expenses have already been completed?
Surrogacy is not enforced by law in UK
even if contract has been signed and surrogate expenses have been paid
When a surrogacy contract has been signed, is parental authority immediately transferred to the Intended Parents?
No
Surrogate mother and husband are legal parents (have parental authority) unless/until parenthood is transferred to intended parents by parent order or adoption
What are the 2 ways in which parental authority is legally transferred from the surrogate mother and her husband to the IPs?
Parent order
Adoption
Who’s consent is required in order for IPs to apply for parent order of a surrogate child?
Surrogate mother must consent
To apply for parent order of a surrogate child, must the IPs be genetically related to the child?
Yes
At least one IP must be genetically related