HIV testing mandatory?

[nana070710]

Is Hiv testing mandatory while your pregnant? I live in ny and today when i went to my ob the front desk wanted me to sign a paper for hiv testing and she said it was mandaroy and required by law BUT ON THE paper clearly said its voluntary any input??! I got tested in july and i know im clean just gets me upset that they said its mandatory i refused to sign and the lady was really annoyed and angry. Is this true??

[loveYou4Ever11]

id go by what the Dr. says then a piece of paper. Honestly. if the doctor said its required by law then believe it is. its a simple blood draw that benefits you anyway.

[purple2007]

This is still going.  Good grief just take the test. Ok you did one before fantastic.  You do know it takes time for symptoms to surface right. I'd rather know now so I could get preventive medication for the baby. It's not that serious

[lieschenb]

The question is NOT whether it is mandatory or you were lied to. The question is why would you be huffing and puffing about something that IS BENEFICIAL to your baby to know whether you are HIV positive. Whether or not you had one done a couple of months ago is also irrelevant as your dr has absolutely no idea what happens in your sex life. All he knows is you had unprotected sex  as you are obviously pregnant and that STDs are transmitted in this manner. See it from their perspective. The only way around this is probably having your baby at home with no health professional present and hoping for the best. Sorry if i am offending you but this is a simple blood test to the benefit of your child

[jannahmre06]

This is so silly. Wth just get your blood drawn! It's a simple test that I would gladly take whether mandatory or not to make sure myself and especially my baby are ok. Why even question taking a test? ! To me that's really crappy,  and wonders what you're hiding since not taking a simple test. Really sad in my opinion.

[Mimilove3]

Might be more madetory for pregnancies overal for your helth remember being pregnant our body immune system is a little less and why not get testes for your babies sake. You wont need to fill an extra tube of blood for the hiv test they will just use a bit of what you already gave for the other test. Plus better to know ur status now then when its to late

[Future_Mommy1984]

@Wyatts mom. In New York the HIV teST is mandatory whether you agree to it during pregnancy or not. If you do not agree to the test in pregnancy then they test your newborn baby. It says this in black and white directly on the New York state public health website under HIV testing in pregnancy. SO YES....you are right Its not mandatory to get while pregnant.....but they will get it from your newborn if you refuse so by new York state law that would constitute that HIV testing is in fact mandatory right?!?! Lol I mean....you can get tested with a harmless blood draw of they can draw blood from your newborn. One or the other is a law and must be done Sooooo.......I don't really see how she was lied to. I say decline it. Get another OBGYN who does the same thing....AND in the end let the newborn get their blood drawn and be tested by the state lol lol Give me a break.

[princesscoming0115]

I believe so they test at 1st trimester and 3rd trimester. I'm in NY also

[wyattsmom2015]

How would you know if her office is lying. You were not there to hear what exactly was said or how it was stated. Any office I have went to that required a test That was not required by state law always said to be seen in their office the test had to be done but it is not required by law.

[Future_Mommy1984]

ALSO....just because you are in a committed relationship doesn't mean anythinG. Simpky suspecting someone of cheating...please. You should get tested for the sake of your child and not rely on someone else to tell the truth. It would be pretty sad if one day you were tested and turned up positive because that committed relationship that provided you no risk at all suddenly gave you HIV. wow....spouses lie....spouses cheat without you suspecting.....NO WAY!

[Future_Mommy1984]

ALSO, ROckROSE Is right. You don't have to consent to testing because then they will just test your newborn baby. Let him take the brunt of it because a simple blood draw was too much. And THAT test you don't have a consent to. It IS mandatory if you refuse an HIV teST.

[Future_Mommy1984]

The doctor isn't lying nor their staff. It is mandatory for their office just like any other OB office

[wyattsmom2015]

Some of you have too much faith in other people. It is not ok to be lied to by someone responsible for your care no matter why they are lying. I will not go to a Dr that lies to me or that has staff that lies to me. I do not deal with people who lie, I even teach my children that it is best to tell the truth and face the consequences to anything they have done or said. I expect the same from anyone who I do business with and especially anyone that is in charge of my children's or my healthcare. Never tell someone they should not be mad about someone lying to them because it is unacceptable for a Dr or their office to lie.
I get tested with each baby because that is the only time I get tested for such things. If I had been tested within the last year and they were wanting to test me again I would refuse. I don't consent to extra testing that I do not believe is necessary and I have refused tests at the Drs office. You only need to get tested yearly if you are in a committed relationship or are married and every six months maybe sooner if you have reason to believe your spouse is cheating or you are dating and you should also be tested after any accidents or any exposure to blood or bodily fluids. I think it is very important to get tested for any diseases but if you are married and have had no risk exposure then it is pointless to get it done monthly.

You may need to be tested I do not know your personal life, That is for you to decide. On the other hand if they did as you said I would find a new Dr and get tested then. Good luck and make sure you let them know you are not happy about what they did.

[RockRose]

Technically,  it's mandatory that they test the baby's risk for HIV.  Whether they test you while you're pregnant,  or test the baby after you deliver,  the HIV test is mandatory in your state.

If you change doctors,  I doubt their paperwork person will treat you differently.  I doubt anyone working in an OB's office,  when getting you to sign the HIV testing form,  and having you say I don't want to be tested,  will say oh okay that's fine,  we'll just test the baby later, you're good.

Refusal to take the test is a red flag that you DO have HIV,  you know it,  and you don't want them to know.  From their perspective,  they'd be wondering what else you are hiding.

Same way you're wondering what else your OB office is going to tell you that isn't true.

[natste]

Have you got any paper work proving you have this done recently?  If so provide this and kindly tell them you do not want it to be done again! They cannot force you :)

[loveYou4Ever11]

whether your being lied to or not it shouldn't bother you that much..there best interest is for the baby. & most likely Dr.s will say anything to get you on the right track..idnt see what the big deal is. if you go to another ob it is likely they'll ask you to do the same thing..& if they do are you guna wanna switch obs again? not worth it & it is a waist of time honestly. but to each there own

[Future_Mommy1984]

It says right on the new york state public health regulations that it is not mandatory. However, it also states if there is no documentation of a negative HIV test provided at birth then it IS MANDATORY ATO TEST YOU NEW BORN BABY. Even if its not mandatory for you it clearly says it's mandatory for your new born. Just go read the website. Its right there in black and white. And I don't think the office lied to you. I work in a healthcare office and for our office it is mandatory to get HIV tested before delivery because you put health-care workers in harm's way If you do have HIV and don't disclose iT. WE tell everyone that it is mandatory FOR OUR OFFICE. just like you have a right to refuse to get it....your OB has a right to refuse to treat you deliver your baby. And most OBs will not keep you as a patient if you refuse. So I wouldn't get upset. It is mandatory for them just like any other OB office I've ever went to.

[Rng2006]

It's just a test, mandatory or not it to your benefit and your baby's.  I work at a medical office and we have a few patients here and there that refuse to sign certain papers, mainly HIPAA. In my eyes I see it as them just trying to be difficult because HIPAA laws are meant to benefit the patient. To me, taking the test is not a big deal at all. Maybe it's not required by law and the office is misinformed. Either way sometimes you need to choose your battles because the office does have the right to refuse service to you if you do not comply with the office regulations.

[jmesliger]

I specialize in HIV testing and counseling.  Im in detroit, and really its to see if you have it and if so, we can prevent the baby from getting it.but in all honestly no one can force you to get one, and no one can go against your will. You HAVE to consent to it. As medical professionals,  we treat everyone like tbey have the worst thing possible,  at least with like personal protection equipment (gloves, lab coats, face masks ect.)

[nana070710]

@lieshenb you obviously did not read what my post its about. It is not about sucking it up or that i dont have my babies best interest. Like i said i got tested and what annoys me its the lie of being " mandatory" i dont live in south africa srry i live in usa and im not going to let someone lie to me about being mandatory.

[lieschenb]

I am from south africa. My dr will not deliver if he does not know mt hiv status. Hiv can be transmitted to the baby so here they do a compulsory c section to reduce transmission. It is done for your baby. Not for you. Suck it up. Plus you can transfer it via breastmilk so you need to formula feed. The dr only has your and your babies interest at heart. He does not know what you do at home and this is how they find out...by testing you. Sorry but here hiv is an epidemic and it is mindboggeling to me that you do not have your babies best interests at heart

[nana070710]

It is not mandatory in the state of ny. I hate to be lied to telling me its mandatory and makes me questio. What else they say it is and its not. I dont mind the testing and none of that but dont tell me its mandatory when on the paper says voluntary i read everything i sign

[lexiia_]

Yes its mandatory, then dont have to tell you, when you first go to check if you are pregnant they check if you have anything to make sure you dont put you or your baby at risk. So they can treat it as soon as possible. But i dont understand why you would get mad about it ?? Its a good thing they are checking for your sake and the babies. Sign it and be done with it no reason to be mad their just making sure you both are safe and dont have it.

[nana070710]

I have been going crazy looking for where it states its mandatory and like some one you said its not but of u refuse it they will test the baby and for that they do not need your consent. And as of my dr YES FOR THE SOME OF YOU THAT SAID TO BE WORRY ABOUT WHAT THEY TELLING ME ITS MANDATORY I AM i dont feel confident with the office anymore im very skeptical now i am going to look for my options.

[mom429]

I'm almost positive in NY it's mandatory because I was tested at like 8 weeks and my test went missing when I was in labor the hospital couldn't get proof and made me take the test again ..I didn't care it was me getting tested or them testing my baby once born ...and I didn't want them doing that to my son. The test is to protect ur baby...