193.165. Spontaneous fetal death report--release of reports--application for certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth, procedure.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

193.165. Spontaneous fetal death report--release of reports--application for certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth, procedure.

Spontaneous fetal death report--release of reports--application forcertificate of birth resulting in stillbirth, procedure.

193.165. 1. Each spontaneous fetal death of twenty completed weeksgestation or more, calculated from the date the last normal menstrualperiod began to the date of delivery, or a weight of three hundred fiftygrams or more, which occurs in this state shall be reported within sevendays after delivery to the local registrar or as otherwise directed by thestate registrar.

2. When a dead fetus is delivered in an institution, the person incharge of the institution or his or her designated representative shallprepare and file the report.

3. When a dead fetus is delivered outside an institution, thephysician in attendance at or immediately after delivery shall prepare andfile the report.

4. When a spontaneous fetal death required to be reported by thissection occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after thedelivery or when inquiry is required by the medical examiner or coroner,the medical examiner or coroner shall investigate the cause of spontaneousfetal death and shall prepare and file the report within seven days.

5. When a spontaneous fetal death occurs in a moving conveyance andthe fetus is first removed from the conveyance in this state or when a deadfetus is found in this state and the place of the spontaneous fetal deathis unknown, the spontaneous fetal death shall be reported in this state.The place where the fetus was first removed from the conveyance or the deadfetus was found shall be considered the place of the spontaneous fetaldeath.

6. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, individualswith direct and tangible interest, as defined by the department of healthand senior services, may receive the spontaneous fetal death report.

7. In the event of a spontaneous fetal death, regardless of whethersuch death occurs before or after August 28, 2004, either parent, or ifboth parents are deceased, a sibling of the stillborn child, shall have theright to file an application with the state registrar and other custodiansof vital records requesting a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth.The certificate shall be based upon the information available from thespontaneous fetal death report filed pursuant to this section.