The New Connecticut Birth Certificate
The Registrar of Vital Records for the State of Connecticut is pleased to inform you about our upcoming transition to the 2003 Revision of the U.S. Certificate of Birth. The latest birth certificate will replace our current certificate which has been in effect since 1989.
Revisions to the birth certificate can be broken into three main areas: format, content, and standards.
Format:
A new electronic birth registration system will roll out in conjunction with the 2003 Revision. This system, ConnVRS (Connecticut Vital Records System), is responsible for the creation of birth certificates for all children born in this state, and replaces the current EVRS birth registry system. ConnVRS is web-based, thus allowing for a relatively simple installation and data transmission process. It will also allow authorized users the convenience of accessing the system from any area in the hospital or at an off-site location.
Medical providers will not be expected to access this electronic system. We will maintain the same procedures for birth registration data collection as is currently in practice (i.e. medical providers will complete and sign the paper Birth Certificate Worksheet). The hospital Birth Registrar will enter the birth data information from the worksheet into ConnVRS and electronically transmit the data to CT DPH.
Content:
The 2003 Revision will be collecting and reporting information on several new perinatal risk factors and birth outcomes, including fertility therapy, infections during pregnancy, updated congenital anomalies, and expanded race and ethnicity. In addition, some birth item definitions have been modified and some items have been dropped completely.
Medical providers and hospital staff should educate themselves on the revisions to be sure the information reported is complete and correct per the new definitions. Training resources are available below.
Standards:
To improve birth data quality, the 2003 Revision implemented detailed specifications for collecting and reporting the items on the birth certificates. The detailed specifications include standard definitions for each field on the certificate, standardized data collection worksheets, a guidebook for completing the medical worksheet, and electronic registration systems with real-time edit checking.
It is critical that all medical providers and hospital staff follow these standards as closely as possible to promote uniformity in data collection across providers, hospitals, and states. In addition to certifying the birth, it is medical provider’s duty to ensure that the Birth Certificate Worksheet is complete and accurate.
Training:
To assist with the transition, the CT Department of Public Health has prepared training materials for medical providers, hospital birth registrars, and town registrars. These trainings are accessible here.
Resources:
Training
New Connecticut Birth Certificate
CDC/NCHS National Vital Statistics System:
National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) main webpage
NCHS Guide to Completing the Facility Worksheet
Report of the Panel to Evaluate the US Standard Certificates