Six months from now, an HIV test will become part of the routine prenatal test for pregnant women in New Jersey.
Under the law, women will be tested early in their pregnancies and again in their third trimesters unless they refuse. If a woman refuses, it will be noted, and an H.I.V. test will be performed on the newborn unless the mother has religious objections.
This move is meant to prevent infection in babies of HIV-infected mothers. If the mother turns out to be HIV-positive, then early medical intervention can be done such as prescribing antiretroviral drugs and Caesarian section delivery, to reduce the risks of the child becoming infected.
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I think it is a good idea to have expecting mothers tested for HIV (too bad it cannot be anonymous results). I do not agree to force people to get tested, but I do believe all women should get tested before giving birth. If they find out they are HIV positive, they can almost eliminate (less than 1% chance) the chances of baby getting HIV by following the CDC guidelines (C-section birth, 6 weeks of AZT treatment for baby and mother) and making sure the mother doesn’t breast feed (HIV virus can be transmitted through breast milk).
http://www.hiv-testing.org
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