37.8.802    FETAL DEATH CERTIFICATE

(1) A fetal death certificate must be completed and filed as specified in 50-15-403, MCA, using a Montana certificate of fetal death form.

(2) Fetal death certificate forms must be obtained from the department.

(3) The person in charge of the final disposition of the body of a fetus must present the fetal death certificate to the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner for cause of death certification within three working days after being notified of the death or receiving the authorization for removal, transportation, and final disposition of a dead body, whichever occurs first.

(4) The certifying physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner must complete and return the fetal death certificate to the person in charge of final disposition of the fetal body within 48 hours after receiving the certificate. If the cause of fetal death is pending, then the cause of death on the certificate must be listed as "pending." When the final results are received, they must be sent to the department using a correction affidavit.

(5) The certifying physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner may only certify and amend the date, hour, and place of delivery; cause of death data; or medical and health information on a fetal death certificate. A certifying physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner who is aware of any error in the demographic data must notify the person in charge of final disposition of the body of the fetus of the error.

(6) The person in charge of final disposition of the body of a fetus may only certify the demographic data on the fetal death certificate. The person in charge of final disposition of the body of a fetus who is aware of an error in the cause of death data must notify the certifying physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or coroner of the error.

(7) Within ten calendar days after the date of the fetal death or the date it was first discovered, the person in charge of final disposition of the body of the fetus must file a properly completed fetal death certificate with the local registrar of the county where the death occurred.

History: 50-15-102, 50-15-124, MCA; IMP, 50-15-102, 50-15-109, 50-15-124, 50-15-403, 50-15-405, MCA; NEW, 1981 MAR p. 1187, Eff. 10/16/81; AMD, 1987 MAR p. 1481, Eff. 8/28/87; AMD, 1993 MAR p. 3023, Eff. 1/1/94; TRANS, from DHES, 1997 MAR p. 1460; AMD, 2002 MAR p. 397, Eff. 2/15/02; AMD, 2015 MAR p. 1492, Eff. 9/25/15.