North Dakota Century Code Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-02.1-20. Fetal death registration

1. A fetal death record for each fetal death that occurs in this state after a gestation period of twenty completed weeks or more must be filed with the state registrar.

2. When a fetal death occurs in an institution, the person in charge of the institution or a designated representative shall use the department of health and human services' electronic fetal death registration system to report the fetal death, including all personal and medical facts, to the state registrar within ten days after the delivery. If a fetal death occurs outside of an institution, a funeral director or other individual in attendance at or after delivery shall file the fetal death record.

3. When inquiry is required by the local health officer or coroner or in the absence of medical attendance, the county coroner shall investigate the cause of fetal death, and shall obtain medical information about the individual from that individual's medical records or last-known physician or physician assistant and file the medical certification within ten days after taking charge of the case using the electronic death registration system.

4. If the cause of fetal death cannot be determined within ten days after death, the medical certification may be filed after the prescribed period of time in accordance with rules adopted by the department of health and human services. The attending physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or coroner shall give the funeral director in custody of the fetus the notice of the reason for the delay and final disposition may not be made until authorized by the attending physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or coroner.

5. The provision for entering the name of the father of the fetus on the fetal death record and the reporting of out-of-wedlock fetal deaths concur exactly with those set forth in section 23-02.1-13.