Ark. Code Ann. § 20-18-603 (2026)

1. 1. 1. 1. A fetal death, when the fetus completed twelve (12) weeks' gestation or more, calculated from the date the last normal menstrual period began to the date of delivery, that occurs in this state shall be reported within five (5) days after delivery to the Division of Vital Records or as otherwise directed by the State Registrar of Vital Records.
         2. An induced termination of pregnancy shall be reported in the manner prescribed in subsection (b) of this section and shall not be reported as a fetal death.
      2. When a dead fetus is delivered in an institution, the person in charge of the institution or his or her designated representative shall prepare and file the fetal death certificate.
      3. When a dead fetus is delivered outside an institution, the physician in attendance at or immediately after delivery shall prepare and file the fetal death certificate.
      4. When a fetal death required to be reported by this section occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after the delivery, or when inquiry is required by § 12-12-301 et seq. or § 14-15-301 et seq. or otherwise provided by law, the State Medical Examiner or coroner shall investigate the cause of fetal death and shall prepare and file the report within five (5) days.
      5. 1. 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.
         2. The place where the fetus was first removed from the conveyance or the fetus was found shall be considered the place of fetal death.
   2. Spontaneous fetal deaths when the fetus has completed less than twelve (12) weeks of gestation shall be reported as prescribed in subsection (b) of this section.
2. 1. Each induced termination of pregnancy which occurs in this state regardless of the length of gestation shall be reported to the division within five (5) days by the person in charge of the institution in which the induced termination of pregnancy was performed.
   2. If the induced termination of pregnancy was performed outside an institution, the attending physician shall prepare and file the report.
3. 1. 1. The reports required under this section are statistical reports to be used only for medical and health purposes and shall not be incorporated into the permanent official records of the system of vital statistics.
      2. A schedule for the disposition of these reports shall be provided for by rule.
   2. Reports required under this section shall not include the name or other personal identification of the individual having an induced or spontaneous termination of pregnancy.

History. Acts 1981, No. 120, §§ 15, 16; 1983, No. 835, §§ 1, 2; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 82-515, 82-516; Acts 1995, No. 1254, § 27; 2017, No. 168, § 2; 2019, No. 315, § 1977.

Amendments. The 2017 amendment redesignated former (a)(1)(A) as (a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(A)(ii); in (a)(1)(A)(i), substituted “A fetal death” for “Each fetal death, when the fetus weighs three hundred fifty grams (350 g) or more or, if weight is unknown”, and substituted “twelve (12)” for “twenty (20)”; substituted “An induced termination” for “All induced terminations” in (a)(1)(A)(ii); redesignated former (a)(1)(E) as (a)(1)(E)(i) and (a)(1)(E)(ii); in (a)(2), substituted “twelve (12)” for “twenty (20)” and deleted “and when the fetus weighs less than three hundred fifty grams (350 g)” following “gestation”; redesignated former (b) as (b)(1) and (b)(2); redesignated former (c)(1) as (c)(1)(A) and (c)(1)(B); and substituted “section” for “subsection” in (c)(1)(A).

The 2019 amendment substituted “rule” for “regulation” in (c)(1)(B).