<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="4-213" title_number="4" title_name="Statistics and Records" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Vital Statistics and Records">
  <level label="a">
    <text>If a fetal death occurs after a gestation period of 20 weeks or more, then within 72 hours after delivery, a certificate of fetal death shall be filed by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The mortician who first takes custody of a fetus;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The person in charge of the institution or the person’s designated representative when a fetus is delivered in an institution;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The physician in attendance at or immediately after delivery when a fetus is delivered outside an institution; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The medical examiner when a fetal death occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after the delivery when a medical examiner’s inquiry is required.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The person who files the fetal death certificate shall obtain:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The personal information from the next of kin or the best qualified individual or source available; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The medical certification of cause of death:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>From the medical examiner, within 24 hours after the medical examiner takes charge of the fetus; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the medical examiner does not take charge of the fetus, from the attending physician within 24 hours after delivery.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>When a fetal death occurs on a common carrier and the fetus is first removed from the carrier in this State or when a fetus is found in this State and the place of fetal death is unknown, the fetal death shall be reported in this State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The place where the fetus was first removed from the carrier or the fetus was found shall be considered the place of fetal death.</text>
  </level>
</section>
