Amairani Salinas was 32 weeks pregnant with her fourth child in 2023 when doctors at a Texas hospital discovered that her baby no longer had a heartbeat. As they prepped her for an emergency cesarean section, they gave her midazolam, a benzodiazepine commonly prescribed to keep patients calm. A day later, the grieving mother was cradling her stillborn daughter when a social worker stopped by her room to deliver another devastating blow: Salinas was being reported to child welfare authorities
What happened to Salinas and Villanueva are far from isolated incidents. Across the country, hospitals are dispensing medications to patients in labor, only to report them to child welfare authorities when they or their newborns test positive for those very same substances on subsequent drug tests, an investigation by The Marshall Project and Reveal has found.
Why are hospitals drug-testing pregnant women without their consent?
Because in red states, cruelty is the point.
Yup. Can’t let beds in the for profit prisons go cold. Other wise the prisons CEO might have to spend only 199 days on vacation instead of the customary 200.
What in the HIPPA violation
Its not a catch all thing to hide behind.
Ah, the USA. I wish that didn’t make sense :-(
And Texas in particular
well it doesn’t
I really fear for the future of my female loved ones and women in this country in general. Will my older sister who is currently pregnant be subject to this violation of human rights? Will it also happen to my wife when we get around to having kids? Will my younger sister who is only in high school be forced to abandon her educational aspirations because of “societal pressure”? A revolution is in order.
Nearly half of them asked for this. It makes no sense.
Farming kids and the moms for the system
Consider journalists have to sensationalize their reports. -It’s their bread and butter.
Medical professionals are mandated reporters. Their job and well being is on the line if they do not report. Blaming them and not the investigating bodies (if they’re even guilty) is ignorant and irresponsible.
I don’t think many mothers want responsibilities for infants when on and coming off the drugs either. Not knowing better while on them might have triggered some protective measures.
It’s good to consider situations before jumping the gun and getting people killed.
