TESTING OF PREGNANT WOMEN GENERALLY Present law requires every physician, surgeon, or other person permitted by law to attend a pregnant woman during gestation to take, or cause to be taken, a sample of the blood of the woman at the time of first examination and visit or within 10 days after the first examination. If the first visit is at the time of delivery, or after delivery, the standard serological test required such provision must be performed at that time. The blood sample must be sent to a laboratory approved by the department of health ("department") for testing for syphilis infection, rubella immunity, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). This bill adds that the sample must be tested for hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) with automatic reflex to HCV RNA if anti-HCV is reactive. TESTING FOR WOMEN AT HIGH RISK OF HEPATITIS B OR SYPHILIS Present law requires, in the same manner, that a sample of blood be taken during or after the 28th week of gestation for a woman whom the attending physician determines to be at high risk of hepatitis B or syphilis according to the current standards of care. This second sample must be sent to a laboratory approved by the department for testing for syphilis infection and HBsAg only. This bill rewrites the above provisions to, instead, require, in the same manner, a sample of blood to be taken and tested between the 28th and 32nd week of gestation for syphilis for all pregnant women. In the same manner, a sample of blood must be taken and tested for syphilis for all pregnant women at the time of delivery. PERSONS NOT PERMITTED BY LAW TO TAKE BLOOD SAMPLES Present law clarifies that every person attending a pregnant woman who is not permitted by law to take blood samples must cause a sample of blood to be taken by a health provider permitted by law to take the samples at the time of first examination and visit or within 10 days after the first examination. These samples must be submitted to the same approved laboratories for testing for syphilis infection and HBsAg. If no rubella immunity is documented, then testing for rubella is required. This bill rewrites the above provisions to, instead, clarify that every person attending a pregnant woman who is not permitted by law to take blood samples must cause a sample of blood to be taken and tested by a health provider permitted by law to take the samples as required in this bill.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 68-5-602(a), 68-5-602, 68-5-602(b)