January 5, 2010

STI Screenings Required for Pregnant Women in Texas

Texas health care providers are now required to test pregnant women for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) under the revised Texas Health and Safety Code, reports local CBS affiliate TXA 21.

Under the new law, an HIV test is administered during the expecting mother’s first prenatal visit, and a second test takes place either in the third trimester or during delivery. In addition, mothers will be tested for syphilis and hepatitis B.

The testing requirements are meant to reduce the number of children born with birth defects. However, women still have the right to refuse the tests.

According to the article, the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission drops to 2 percent with antiretroviral treatment.

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Previous Comments:

emelia, , 2010-01-12 00:27:19
I'm all for manditory screening. Too many couples decline testing due to pride/ ignorance/magical thinking. This sort of mentality is NOT worth even one dead or handicapped child.My child died before 1 year of age after I transmitted the desease via genetic amnio or breast feeding. I did not know I sero-converted within 3 months of becoming pregnant. Had I been screened, my child would be here todsy. I took ARV meds with my next pregancy and she is alive and very healthy.

MLF, Trenton, 2010-01-11 14:29:08
When I was pregnant (over 40 years ago) all women had to be tested for syphillis, at the beginning and end of the pregnancy.. no questions asked. In those days you also needed a syphillis test to get a marrage license.. what is the big deal ? IF we stop treating HIV as a secret disease, maybe it will be come less stigmatized... we did it to ourselves by not mainstreaming testing from the beginning...