Drug testing at birth?

Here, it depends.

If there was drug use in pregnancy, then there will often be a tox screen ordered.

Frankly, CPS doesn't care (here at least) about a positive screen for THC. There are too many positive opiate and meth babies for them to get involved. So the report has to be made, but they don't care.

I'm not sure what the policies are in my state (SC), but neither me or my baby were tested.

I think a lot of women get tested that don't know it. It falls under the big umbrella of things that you sign for to get admitted to many hospitals, and your consent is generally an all-or-nothing kind of deal.

I think this fact is the reason it can be so hard to find accurate info. What I know is that here in CA it is not done for every birth, but can be done to anyone, without notice beyond the consent form you sign for admittance. All it requieres is a slight suspicion from a care provider.

This is a pretty huge genralization.

Yeah, but I've worked L&D for years, and even in a high rish unit with a lot of drug use I've only seen two actual actions by CPS, despite a lot of positives.

I talked to an L&D nurse who said that they request verbal permission to test a mom, but she thought it was possible to test a baby without consent that verbal consent.

i live in california, and i was drug tested without consent and i didnt know about it until after the birth. i didnt really mind, ive never done drugs, and i wasnt acting like i was on drugs, so im not quite sure why i was tested. im assuming that because i was 18 they felt they should...i donno. it was the doctor who was on call when i came into be induced that made the decision, my obgyn later apologized and said that he was sorry if that doctor had made me feel under suspicion, he just didnt know the circumstances cuz he had never met me. i didnt have time to be upset or care cuz i had a newborn, plus drug tests are most likely for the good of you and the baby.

i dont think i was drug tested, however i was drug tested early in my pregnancy ( like 10 weeks) and they got a false positive for marj. because i was pregnant, i got into alot of trouble till i told them i was pregnant, ive heard before that pregnancy hormones can trick litmus tests because of i forget what ever it is, i wouldnt think they would drug test at random, maybe if they thought something was up, but knowing a child is acting a certain way because of a drug demendancy, is a huge deal.

If you don't want drug testing after birth, have a detailed birth plan that includes a request for no testing at all after birth. In my birth plan,I stated that "Neither mother or baby is to be given any drugs, testing or blood work via neddles after birth"

If it's in writing, they need to respect that.

I hate hospitals.

Make sure if you do request that that you include meconium in the plan. they generally don't draw babies for a screen, you get meconium out ol a diaper and they're screened that way.