Louisiana
Parental Rights After Miscarriage (as of October 2023): In Louisiana, parents have the right to the release and burial of their child. (Please note: A death certificate is mandatory if a stillbirth occurs after 20 weeks of gestation or if the baby weighs 12 ounces or more at the time of birth.)
The Compassionate Friends
If you are a member (or a friend) of a family that has suffered the death of a child, The Compassionate Friends is here to help you and provide support for the family. Feel free to contact TCF’s National Office at 877-969-0010 or nationaloffice@compassionatefriends.org if you need assistance in finding a local Chapter or you have any other questions.
Louisiana Right to Life
Miscarriage is an unfortunate and tragic event, and often, closure is needed through proper burial or cremation. Fortunately, Louisiana parents do have options, and the right to know them.
In 2016, Louisiana Right to Life worked with former Rep. Tom Wilmott and the Louisiana Legislature to pass the Compassionate Burial Options Act (HB 618). The bill protects the rights of parents and gives them the option to obtain the remains of their miscarried child in order to have a proper burial or cremation. This right allows parents to properly grieve the loss and can facilitate the healing process for their family.
Catholic Counseling Service
As a ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Catholic Counseling Service provides ongoing support to our local community through affordable, quality counseling with a unique perspective that upholds the richness of our Catholic faith. Understanding that each person has God-given dignity and inherent goodness, we accompany our clients on their journey towards healing and change.
Share
Share offers in-person and online support groups for grieving families in Louisiana.
Compassionate Burials for Indigent Babies
We take all the little souls left behind, and we give them a proper burial. It’s the only decent thing to do. All these sweet little babies, we celebrate their short life, we name them, we clothe them in dignity, we make the time and place for them, and we acknowledge to the world their short existence and their humanity.
All God’s Babies Tomb & Holy Innocents Prayer Garden
The Holy Innocents Prayer Garden in St. Patrick Cemetery No. 1, dedicated in January 2018, is the result of a colloboration between New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries and the Respect for Life Office of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and was funded by Louisiana Right to Life and New Orleans Right to Life through the Catholic Community Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. It is located next to the All God's Babies Tomb, dedicated in January 2019, which is designated for the interment of babies up to twelve months of age that have been lost to abortion, miscarriage, and those whose families have a financial need. Read more about the garden here.