                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

REPORTS OF FETAL DEATHS; MEDICAL CERTIFICATION; INVESTIGATION BY THE OFFICE OF
THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER; CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION CONCERNING ABORTIONS
(§ 32.1-264)

A. A fetal death report for each fetal death which occurs in this Commonwealth
shall be filed, on a form furnished by the State Registrar, with the registrar
of the district in which the delivery occurred or the abortion was performed
within three days after such delivery or abortion and shall be registered with
such registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this
section, provided that:

   1. If the place of fetal death is unknown, a fetal death report shall be filed
   in the registration district in which a dead fetus was found within three days
   after discovery of such fetus; and

   2. If a fetal death occurs in a moving conveyance, a fetal death report shall
   be filed in the registration district in which the fetus was first removed
   from such conveyance.

B. The funeral director or person who first assumes custody of a dead fetus or,
in the absence of a funeral director or such person, the hospital representative
who first assumes custody of a fetus shall file the fetal death report; in the
absence of such a person, the physician or other person in attendance at or
after the delivery or abortion shall file the report of fetal death. The person
completing the forms shall obtain the personal data from the next of kin or the
best qualified person or source available, and he shall obtain the medical
certification of cause of death from the person responsible for preparing the
same as provided in this section. In the case of induced abortion, such forms
shall not identify the patient by name.

C. The medical certification portion of the fetal death report shall be
completed and signed within 24 hours after delivery or abortion by the physician
in attendance at or after delivery or abortion except when inquiry or
investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is required.

D. When a fetal death occurs without medical attendance upon the mother at or
after the delivery or abortion or when inquiry or investigation by the Office of
the Chief Medical Examiner is required, the Chief Medical Examiner shall cause
an investigation of the cause of fetal death to be made and the medical
certification portion of the fetal death report to be completed and signed
within 24 hours after being notified of a fetal death.

E. The reports required pursuant to this section are statistical reports to be
used only for medical and health purposes and shall not be incorporated into the
permanent official records of the system of vital records. A schedule for the
disposition of these reports may be provided by regulation.

F. The physician or facility attending an individual who has delivered a dead
fetus shall maintain a copy of the fetal death report for one year and, upon
written request by the individual and payment of an appropriate fee, shall
furnish the individual a copy of such report.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 32-353.21; 1960, c. 451; 1975, c. 267; 1979, c. 711;
1983, c. 240; 1987, c. 405; 2014, c. 583.