Chapter Definitions

1. Law
2. Tennessee Code
3. Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
4. Vital Records Act of 1977
5. Definitions and Administration
6. Chapter Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. “Certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth” means a certificate issued to record the birth of a stillborn child;
2. “Commissioner” means the commissioner of health;
3. “Dead body” means a human body from the condition of which it reasonably may be concluded that death occurred;
4. “Department” means the department of health;
5. “Fetal death” means death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception; the death is indicated by the fact that, after expulsion or extraction, the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles;
6. “File” means to present a vital record provided for in this chapter for registration by the office of vital records;
7. “Final disposition” means the burial, interment, cremation, removal from the state or other authorized disposition of a dead body or fetus;
8. “Induced termination of pregnancy” means the intentional termination of pregnancy with the intention other than to produce a live-born infant or to remove a dead fetus;
9. “Institution” means any establishment, public or private, that provides inpatient or outpatient medical, surgical or diagnostic care or treatment or nursing, custodial or domiciliary care, or to which persons are committed by law;
10. “Live birth” means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, that, after expulsion or extraction, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Heartbeats shall be distinguished from transient cardiac contractions, and respirations shall be distinguished from fleeting respiratory efforts or gasps;
11. “Person in charge of interment” means any person who places or causes to be placed, a deceased person, still-born child, or dead body, or, after cremation, the ashes thereof, in the earth, a grave, tomb, vault, urn or other receptacle, either in a cemetery or at any other place, or disposes otherwise thereof;
12. “Physician” means a person licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy pursuant to the laws of this state;
13. “Public health council” means the council established in § 68-1-501 [repealed];
14. “Registration” means the acceptance by the office of vital records and the incorporation of vital records provided for in this chapter into its official records;
15. “Stillbirth” means an unintended, intrauterine fetal death after a gestational age of not less than twenty (20) completed weeks or with a weight of three hundred fifty (350) grams or more;
16. “System of vital records” includes the registration, collection, preservation, amendment, and certification of vital records, and the collection of other reports required by this chapter; and
17. “Vital records” means certificates or reports of birth, death, marriage, divorce or annulment and other records related thereto.

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