Sec. 19a-593. Testing of pregnant women and newborns. Notification and documentation requirements.
Sec. 19a-593. Testing of pregnant women and newborns. Notification and documentation requirements. (a) Each health care provider giving prenatal care to pregnant women in this state shall inform her, or ascertain from the woman's medical record
that such information has already been provided to her, that HIV testing is a part of
routine prenatal care and shall inform her of the health benefits to herself and her newborn of being tested for HIV infection. Such information shall be conveyed along with
the counseling required by section 19a-582. The health care provider shall inform the
patient that HIV-related information is confidential pursuant to section 19a-583. If the
patient provides informed consent to an HIV-related test consistent with section 19a-582, the health care provider responsible for HIV counseling under this section shall
perform or arrange to have performed an HIV-related test and document the test result
in the medical record.
(b) If, during the current pregnancy, an HIV-related test has not been documented
in the patient's medical record at admission for delivery of the baby, then the health
care provider responsible for the patient's care shall inform the pregnant woman as
required under subsection (a) of this section and shall also inform her of the health
benefits to herself and her newborn of being tested for HIV infection either before
delivery or within twenty-four hours after delivery and, in the absence of specific written
objection, shall cause such test to be administered.
(P.A. 95-269, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2, S. 29.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 99-2 deleted existing provisions requiring obstetrician-gynecologists to notify pregnant
women of the availability of AIDS testing, added Subsec. (a) re information on HIV testing, performance of HIV testing
and documentation of test results, and added Subsec. (b) re HIV information and testing at admission for delivery.
See Sec. 19a-55 re newborn infant health screening.
See Sec. 19a-90 re blood test of pregnant women.