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The Washington State Fetal Death Certificate System gathers information about
each fetal death that occurs in Washington State. Fetal deaths are sometimes
referred to as stillbirths or miscarriages. Reporting of fetal deaths to the
state is required only when the gestational period is twenty weeks or more.
Similar information is collected for fetal deaths to mothers who live in
Washington State, but deliver in another state or country. Thus, the Fetal
Death Certificate System contains records on all fetal deaths occurring in the
state and nearly all fetal deaths to residents of the state.
Information is gathered about the mother, the father, the pregnancy, and the
cause-of-death. Information about the prenancy and delivery is collected in
hospitals and birth centers and information about the death is collected by
funeral directors from an informant (usually a family member). Cause-of-death
information is provided by a certifying physician, medical examiner, or coroner.
The major purposes of the fetal death system are 1) to provide a
death record for proper dispostion of human remains; and 2) to record
information such as pregnancy history, prenatal care, and causes of death which
can be used by data analysts, policy makers, health care providers and others to
help prevent future fetal deaths.
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