Peace at last for mourning parents? Hong Kong officials consider change in fetus law to allow burial of stillborns
Meetings among lawmakers, concern group and authorities centre on options to either remove regulatory roadblock or relax limitations on public cremators and burial sites
Hong Kong’s health authority is considering legislative amendments to resolve a long-standing issue that has added to the tears and heartbreak of parents dealing with a miscarriage before the 24th week of pregnancy.
Under existing laws, a fetus in this situation cannot be properly buried or cremated as it is not categorised as a stillbirth but instead as “medical waste”. Jeremy Tam Man-ho, one of the two lawmakers leading a group of parents in meetings with official departments, said government representatives for the first time promised to consider and seek legal advice on two options of reform.
“The first way involves the amendment of several ordinances, including the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, and others concerning food and environmental hygiene,” Tam said.
“The other way is to expand the definition of ‘human remains’ to cover ‘fetal remains’ [in the Cremation and Gardens of Remembrance Regulation].”
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau confirmed it was “working in earnest” to consider “options for legislative amendments”, but did not disclose further details.