If you are planning a home birth or your baby was born at home, the Health Department must certify the birth to provide a birth certificate.

 

To complete the process, the mother and baby must meet with a Health Department nurse, preferably within two weeks after the birth. This is normally done through a home visit, but is currently being done at the Health Department due to COVID-19 restrictions on home visiting. The parents must provide copies of documents with proof of identity, address, and pregnancy. 

 

Families who are planning a home birth can pre-register with the Health Department toward the end of the pregnancy. The Health Department will schedule an appointment to obtain proof of identity, address, and pregnancy. After the baby is born, another shorter appointment will be made to see the baby and record details of the birth that are required to apply for a birth certificate.

 

For more information or to register a home birth, contact Kathy Brown, R.N., Maternal and Child Health Nurse, at 410-876-4956 or by email at kathy.brown@maryland.gov.