Support HIV Testing for Pregnant Women: House Bill 991 State of Maryland

House Bill 991 recommends voluntary testing for HIV in pregnant women. We feel that this should be mandatory for all pregnant women to prevent passing the virus on to the unborn child.

It is required that all new borns have antibiotic ointment to eyes to prevent any bacteria in the birth canal from infecting the newborns eye particullarly STD's, given Vit. K shot to prevent hemoragic disease, and tested for PKU. Mandatory testing in pregnant women could prevent the newborn from being infected by treating HIV infected mothers.