§ 23-3-17 - Fetal death registration.
SECTION 23-3-17
§ 23-3-17 Fetal death registration. –(a) A fetal death certificate for each fetal death which occurs in this stateafter a gestation period of twenty (20) completed weeks or more shall be filedwith the state registrar of vital records or as otherwise directed by the stateregistrar within seven (7) calendar days after the delivery and prior toremoval of the fetus from the state, and shall be registered if it has beencompleted and filed in accordance with this section; provided:
(1) That if the place of fetal death is unknown, a fetaldeath certificate shall be filed with the state registrar of vital records oras otherwise directed by the state registrar within seven (7) calendar daysafter the occurrence; and
(2) That if a fetal death occurs on a moving conveyance, afetal death certificate shall be filed with the state registrar of vitalrecords or as otherwise directed by the state registrar.
(b) All other fetal deaths, irrespective of the number ofweeks uterogestation, shall be reported directly to the state department ofhealth within seven (7) calendar days after delivery.
(c) The funeral director, his or her duly authorized agent,or another person acting as agent, who first assumes custody of a fetus, shallfile the fetal death certificate. In the absence of a funeral director oragent, the physician or another person in attendance at or after delivery shallfile the certificate of fetal death. He or she shall obtain the personal datafrom the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available. He orshe shall obtain the medical certification of cause of death from the personresponsible for the certification.
(d) The medical certification shall be completed and signedwithin forty-eight (48) hours after delivery by the physician in attendance ator after delivery except when inquiry is required by chapter 4 of this title.
(e) When a fetal death occurs without medical attendance uponthe mother at or after the delivery or when inquiry is required by chapter 4 ofthis title, the medical examiner shall investigate the cause of fetal death andshall complete and sign the medical certification within forty-eight (48) hoursafter taking charge of the case.
(f) Each funeral director shall, on or before the tenth(10th) day of the following month, file a report with the state registrar ofvital records listing funerals and/or decedents serviced following deaths orfetal deaths within the month. Failure to file these reports or any of thecertificates required under § 23-3-16 and this section within theprescribed time limits shall be grounds for disciplinary action, includingrevocation of license by the state board of examiners in embalming.