S.I. No. 427/1994:

VITAL STATISTICS (STILLBIRTHS) REGULATIONS, 1994.

VITAL STATISTICS (STILLBIRTHS) REGULATIONS, 1994.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 2 of the Vital Statistics and Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, 1952 (No. 8 of 1952), hereby makes the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Vital Statistics (Stillbirths) Regulations, 1994.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on 1st January, 1995, replacing the Vital Statistics (Foetal Deaths) Regulations, 1956.

3. In these Regulations--

"stillbirth" means a birth in relation to which Section 1 of the Stillbirths Registration Act, 1994 applies;

"the appropriate person" means whichever of the following persons attends a woman at or immediately after the birth:

( a ) a duly qualified medical practitioner,

( b ) a midwife.

4. Stillbirths shall be a matter as respects which statistics relating thereto shall be vital statistics.

5. (1) Upon the occurrence of a stillbirth, the appropriate person shall notify to the Registrar, within seven days of the occurrence of the stillbirth, on a form to be supplied by the Central Statistics Office, the following particulars:

( a ) the date and place of birth;

( b ) the sex of the foetus;

( c ) the estimated period of gestation;

( d ) the weight of the foetus;

( e ) whether autopsy was performed or not;

( f ) whether stillbirth occurred before or during labour;

( g ) the putative cause of the stillbirth--

(i) main disease or condition in foetus,

(ii) other diseases or conditions in foetus;

(iii) main maternal disease or condition affecting foetus,

(iv) other maternal disease or condition affecting foetus;

( h ) the mother's forename and surname, address and occupation;

( i ) the date of birth of the mother;

( j ) the father's forename and surname, address and occupation;

( k ) the marital status of the mother distinguishing whether married, single, separated, widowed or divorced;

( l ) the date of marriage of the mother, if married;

( m ) the number of previous children of the mother--

(i) still living,

(ii) born alive but now dead;

( n ) the number of previous stillbirths (if any) as respects the mother;

( o ) signature, qualification and address of informant;

6. A Registrar, on receiving a form under these Regulations, shall forthwith verify that it is properly completed, enter on it any other information which he/she may be required by An tArd-Chláraitheoir to enter, sign it and transmit it to the Director-General, Central Statistics Office, Cork, within one month.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health, this 13th

day of December, 1994.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for the collection of statistics on stillbirths which relate to a child born weighing 500 grammes or more or having a gestational age of 24 weeks or more, who shows no sign of life.