191.745. Tests to be made on women and infants at time of delivery--samples to be sent without identification to laboratory--prenatal tests may be made, when.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

191.745. Tests to be made on women and infants at time of delivery--samples to be sent without identification to laboratory--prenatal tests may be made, when.

Tests to be made on women and infants at time of delivery--samplesto be sent without identification to laboratory--prenatal testsmay be made, when.

191.745. Beginning July 1, 1992, the director of the department ofhealth and senior services shall conduct periodic and scientificallyappropriate prevalence tests on a statistically significant sample of women orinfants at the time of delivery. Upon request from the department of healthand senior services, physicians who provide obstetrical or gynecological careshall obtain from their patients at time of delivery, test samples and forwardthe same to a central laboratory designated by the director of the departmentof health and senior services. These samples shall be forwarded to suchlaboratory without any identifying information as to the donor. The directormay, however, require demographic information necessary to interpret results.The director of the department of health and senior services shall thenconduct such studies, through this and other means, as he deems appropriate todetermine the extent of use and harmful perinatal effects of cigarettes,alcohol and schedules I, II and III controlled substances as defined insection 195.017, RSMo. Periodic screening results shall be compared to thoseof the preceding series of tests to determine trends in pregnancy substanceabuse and to assist in monitoring the effectiveness of sections 191.725 to191.735. Prevalence testing during the prenatal period may be conducted inthe same manner at the discretion of the director of the department of healthand senior services.