Baptism in case of miscarriage

[Geremia]

Yes, there's nothing wrong with doing a conditional baptism if there is doubt the baby is alive. I think the Church allows this for up to 3 hours after the apparent death of the person.

The form would be: "If you are alive, I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

Or if the miscarriage is so early that you doubt it is a human or just a bloody blob, you could say:

"If you are human and alive, I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

[piabee]

The form would be:

Citation, please.

[Geremia]

The form would be:

Citation, please.

See this from the Ritual:

9. … if one is to be baptized conditionally (see below), the condition is expressed in these words: If you are not baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father, etc.

21. One should see to it that every abortive fetus, no matter of what period, be baptized absolutely if it is certainly alive. If there is doubt about its being alive, it should be baptized conditionally.

22. A monster or abnormal fetus should in every case be baptized at least with the following expressed condition: If you are a human being, I baptize you, etc. When in doubt as to whether there is one or several persons in the deformed mass, one part is to be baptized absolutely, and the others each with the condition: If you are not baptized, I baptize you, etc.

Regarding point 21., it seems the conditional form "If you are not baptized…" nor "If you are a human being…" would be used, so I'm pretty sure it's valid to say "If you are alive…"

[Dextimus]

Formulas of conditional baptism

If not sure if baptized:
Si non es baptizatus, ego te baptizo...

If not sure if living:
Si vivus es, ego...

If not sure, we have clean water:
Si materia haec est sufficiens, ego...

If not sure we have all the body available:
Si haec pars est sufficiens, ego...

CIC (1917) 748: Monstra et ostenta semper baptizentur saltem sub conditione; in dubio autem unusne an plures sint homines, unus absolute baptizetur, ceteri sub conditione
If not sure if it is a man:
Si homo es, ego...

[OCLittleFlower]

Side comment -- when it comes to having "all the body available" does that mean that amputees are conditionally baptized if they convert post-amputation?

[Dextimus]

Side comment -- when it comes to having "all the body available" does that mean that amputees are conditionally baptized if they convert post-amputation?

No. 

[OCLittleFlower]

Side comment -- when it comes to having "all the body available" does that mean that amputees are conditionally baptized if they convert post-amputation?

No.

What does it mean then?

[Dextimus]

What does it mean then?

When you can see only a part of body and you are not sure if this part is joined to the rest (e.g. head). This conditional is to avoid simulation of sacrament.

[OCLittleFlower]

What does it mean then?

When you can see only a part of body and you are not sure if this part is joined to the rest (e.g. head). This conditional is to avoid simulation of sacrament.

Ahhh okay -- so as long as one definitely sees a head there is no need to apply that condition?

[Dextimus]

Ahhh okay -- so as long as one definitely sees a head there is no need to apply that condition?

Sure. My friend, hospital chaplain from time to time does a baptism to miscarried babies which have e.g. 1 or 2 inches of length. At the first view you can see in a "red blend" only a tiny hand or leg, nothing more. So noone would start searching for its head before performing baptism. Heaven can't wait.

[OCLittleFlower]

Ahhh okay -- so as long as one definitely sees a head there is no need to apply that condition?

Sure. My friend, hospital chaplain from time to time does a baptism to miscarried babies which have e.g. 1 or 2 inches of length. At the first view you can see in a "red blend" only a tiny hand or leg, nothing more. So noone would start searching for its head before performing baptism. Heaven can't wait.

Understandable.   

[Geremia]

from the Roman Ritual:

A monster or abnormal fetus should in every case be baptized at least with the following expressed condition: If you are a human being, I baptize you, etc. When in doubt as to whether there is one or several persons in the deformed mass, one part is to be baptized absolutely, and the others each with the condition: If you are not baptized, I baptize you, etc.

[Chestertonian]

Monster?  That's horrible

[Geremia]

Monster?  That's horrible

Probably a better word could've been used to translate the Latin, but it is a medical term, according to the OED: "(Med.) a fetus, neonate, or individual with a gross congenital malformation, usually of a degree incompatible with life."

[Chestertonian]

Monster?  That's horrible

Probably a better word could've been used to translate the Latin, but it is a medical term, according to the OED: "(Med.) a fetus, neonate, or individual with a gross congenital malformation, usually of a degree incompatible with life."

Perhaps in the archaic sense, but certainly not the colloquial sense.