Labour MP Sharon Hodgson became overwhelmed with emotion as she discussed her decision to speak publicly about her stillborn daughter in the House of Commons last week.
Mrs Hodgson moved colleagues to tears when she revealed how she was told daughter Lucy would not get a birth or death certificate as she was born at 23.5 weeks – days shy of the cut off for a child to ‘officially exist’.
Under UK law parents are not given a birth or death certificate if the child is born stillborn before 24 weeks.
Today Mrs Hodgson appeared on This Morning to discuss the move with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, explaining that she finally felt able to talk about her loss and why she’s now campaigning for a change in the law.
Labour MP Sharon Hodgson became overwhelmed with emotion as she discussed her decision to speak publicly about her stillborn daughter in the House of Commons last week
Mrs Hodgson moved her colleagues to tears when she revealed how she wastold Lucy would not get a birth or death certificate as she was born at 23.5 weeks – days shy of the cut off
Mrs Hodgson, who lost daughter Lucy 20 years ago, said she had stayed away from previous debates on the issue as she was too overwhelmed with grief to speak about the the daughter who officially ‘didn’t exist’.
In an emotional interview, with Phillip and Holly Mrs Hodgson recalled the moment she was told her daughter was stillborn.
She said: ‘Finding out, to your horror, that when you are going though this awful trauma and holding this baby in your arms and coming to terms with the fact that the baby did not survive to take their first breath, [wearing] a little baby grow with a little hat on – I was told I wouldn’t have a birth certificate or death certificate.
‘But the chaplain said I could have a funeral. These awful emotions that you can have a funeral for a baby that is classified as a miscarriage officially. It just seemed so wrong.’
The Labour MP moved others to tears as she told how she was left ‘horrified and further traumatised’ at the news which meant her little girl – whose heart had beat through most of the labour – did not ‘officially exist’
Mrs Hodgson said that when other mothers heard about her loss they would avoid her on the street.
‘It’s more painful when people try to avoid you,’ the MP said. ‘Some of the outpouring I’ve had by emails and social media… I’m encouraging people to talk about it.’
‘I thought “I have to be brave”. It was the hardest thing ever. I thought after all these years: “Surely I can stand up and talk about it?” It’s still one of those taboo subjects. I try and give myself some forgiveness for not talking about it [sooner].’
Now Mrs Hodgson is joining MPs in calling for a change in law to help parents who find themselves in a similarly devastating situation.
Mrs Hodgson spoke about her journey in a moving interview on This Morning today, pictured
She said: ‘[The proposal] is passed through second reading. Hopefully it will go to the House of Lords and it can be law. I would encourage them [viewers of This Morning] to write to their MP. MPs can then lobby the government.’
During the emotional conversation, Holly added: ‘There’s a girl called Kayleigh and right now she is 18 months pregnant. She’s carrying a baby that is not alive.
‘She is waiting, she is holding on to that baby to get past the 24 week mark, so she can have a death certificate. I can’t understand why anyone would put someone through, what is already a horrific situation… even more pain.’
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said the Government ‘agrees wholeheartedly’ with the need to look at the role coroners could play in investigating stillbirths.
She said: ‘The Government thinks that carrying out a review and producing a report in this area is important before making any changes.
‘There are important and sensitive issues to explore, such as how far into a pregnancy coronial involvement should be triggered and the potential role of other factors such a violence to the mother or medical negligence.’