South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 61 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
Subchapter 61-19 - Vital Statistics
Sec2 61-19.800 - FETAL DEATH REGISTRATION

A. A report of each fetal death of 350 grams or more, or if weight is unknown, of twenty (20) completed weeks gestation or more, based on clinical estimate of gestation at delivery, which occurs in this state shall be submitted within five (5) calendar days after delivery to the Bureau of Vital Statistics or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar and shall be registered if it has been completed and submitted in accordance with this Section. All induced terminations of pregnancy shall be reported in the manner prescribed in Section 1000 and shall not be reported as fetal deaths.

B. When a fetus is delivered in an institution or en route thereto, the person in charge of the institution, or his or her designated representative, shall obtain all data required by the Department to prepare and submit the report. In obtaining the information required by the fetal death report, all institutions shall use information-gathering procedures including worksheets provided or approved by the State Registrar. Institutions may establish procedures to transfer, electronically or otherwise, information required by the fetal death report from other systems. Such procedures shall be reviewed and approved by the State Registrar prior to implementation to ensure that the information being transferred is the same as that being requested on the fetal death report.

C. When a fetus is delivered outside an institution and then taken to an institution, the institution shall prepare and submit the report.

D. When a fetal death required to be reported by this Section occurs outside of an institution and the fetus is not taken to an institution immediately after the delivery or when inquiry is required by state law, the coroner shall investigate the cause of fetal death and shall prepare and submit the fetal death report within five (5) calendar days of notification.

E. If the cause of fetal death is unknown or pending investigation, the cause of fetal death shall be noted as such on the fetal death report.

F. When a fetal death occurs in a moving conveyance and the fetus is first removed from the conveyance 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. The place where the fetus was first removed from the conveyance or the fetus was found shall be considered the place of fetal death.

G. Reports of fetal death are statistical reports to be used only for public health purposes. Such reports shall be disposed of when all statistical processing of the reports has been accomplished. However, the Department may establish a data file of such reports so they will be available for future research and such file may be retained for as long as the State Registrar deems necessary.