COLUMBUS, Ohio — A newly introduced bill in the Ohio House would expand how the state records pregnancies by requiring the registration of all fetal deaths and the filing of a “certificate of life” once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
House Bill 754, introduced during the 2025–2026 legislative session, proposes changes to Ohio’s vital records laws, which govern how births, deaths, and other life events are documented by the state.
Under the bill, a medical provider who detects a fetal heartbeat during an examination would be required to file a “certificate of life” within 10 days in the local registration district where the examination occurs. The provider would also be required to give the patient a printed copy of the information included in that filing.
The legislation directs the Ohio Department of Health to establish rules for what information must be included on the certificate and to create a system that allows the certificate to later be matched with a fetal death record if one is filed.
The bill also expands requirements for reporting fetal deaths. It states that each fetal death occurring in Ohio must be registered with local vital statistics offices, with certification of the cause of death completed by a physician, coroner, or medical examiner, depending on the circumstances.
Current Ohio law requires fetal death certificates in certain situations, including for pregnancies reaching at least 20 weeks of gestation. The proposed legislation modifies those requirements and establishes additional procedures for reporting and documentation.
The measure further outlines responsibilities for hospitals and physicians when a patient experiences a miscarriage, including providing written confirmation and information about the option to request a fetal death certificate.
Supporters of the bill have framed it as an effort to standardize recordkeeping and improve the accuracy of Ohio’s vital statistics system. Critics have raised concerns about the expansion of state-recorded pregnancy data and the timing of when reporting requirements begin.
As introduced, House Bill 754 has not yet received a committee vote. Lawmakers are expected to review and potentially amend the proposal as it moves through the legislative process.