Mandatory Prenatal HIV screening in NJ
28 12 2007Come next year, all pregnant women in New Jersey will be screened for HIV infection.
The Washington Post is reporting that a bill was signed into law on Wednesday, requiring pregnant women to take two HIV tests at the start of their pregnancy and again near the end, unless the mother objects. If she does object, the newborn will then be tested for HIV, with the only exception being on religious grounds. Newborns will also be tested if the woman tests positive.
New Jersey's law is so far the most stringent concerning HIV screening. Only four other states have mandated testing for pregnant women, and three more require screening of newborns. New Jersey's law requires both.
With the new law, some groups are raising concern about privacy. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and the state's chapter of the National Organization for Women have questioned whether the mandated tests violate a woman's right to privacy and the right to make her own medical decisions.
[via: The Washington Post]
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