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Bill would let New Hampshire hospitals file fetal death reports electronically, division says
Summary
The state registrar and DHHS officials told the Senate committee that allowing hospitals to enter fetal death reports electronically would speed filing, improve security and let the Division of Vital Records generate burial transit permits and certificates of stillbirth from its database.
Kristen Martino, registrar and director of Vital Records, testified in support of Senate Bill 189, which she described as modernizing the state’s fetal-death recording process by allowing hospitals and birthing centers that already file births electronically to also file fetal-death records through the state’s electronic vital records system (Nevron/NEVRON Plus).
Martino explained that fetal death, commonly understood as stillbirth, is reportable under the national standard used by states and by New Hampshire; states report fetal deaths meeting the threshold of 20 weeks’ gestation or 350 grams to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Hampshire’s statutory citation in testimony was RSA 5-C:5 (national standard for birth, death and fetal death records).
Martino said fetal deaths are currently recorded on a paper form that is mailed to the Division of Vital Records, frequently with missing fields that require follow-up with hospitals. She said the fetal-death module already exists within NEVRON Plus and that, in 2023, New Hampshire recorded 44 fetal deaths and in 2024 recorded 32; in 2024, 31 of the 32 occurred in hospitals with active maternity wards.
Allowing hospitals that already file births electronically to file fetal deaths would, the registrar said, reduce back-and-forth queries, enable automatic issuance of burial transit permits for records filed electronically, and let the division produce more secure, standardized certificates of stillbirth on state safety paper. Martino told the committee there would be no fiscal impact from the change because the fetal-death module already exists in the electronic system; the proposal would open hospital user access to that module.
Senators and the sponsor discussed a planned amendment (at the Office of Legislative Services) to remove certain unnecessary data elements such as Social Security number and ancestry information; Senator Prentiss said the amendment would align the form with current needs and privacy concerns.
The sponsor advised holding the bill until the amendment language is ready at OLS; the committee agreed to hold the bill pending the written amendment.
Ending: Supporters said SB 189 would modernize a paper-based process with limited case volume, improve timeliness and security of records, and help funeral directors and parents obtain standardized, state-issued certificates and burial transit permits when appropriate.
