Do hospitals drug test newborn babies?

Answer 1

There are a variety of tests that each state requires by law to be conducted shortly after birth. Most of the testing is for genetic disorders, but can include screening for intrauterine drug exposure if maternal drug use is suspected.

Significance

• Intrauterine drug exposure is associated with an increased risk of prematurity, small gestational age, cardiac abnormalities, low birth weight, central nervous system stroke and hemorrhage, according to the journal "Clinical Chemistry."

Long Term Effects

• Long lasting effects of intrauterine drug use on a fetus may result in abnormal sleep patterns, feeding problems, abnormal cognitive and behavioral development, increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and difficulty with social interactions.

Drug Testing Newborns

• No legislation has been enacted regarding mandatory drug testing of newborns in any of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, according to a national survey of state maternal and newborn drug-testing and reporting policies.

Optional Drug Testing

• A physician who is primarily responsible for the infant, such as a pediatrician, may order a newborn drug test if they believe intrauterine drug use has occurred. A combination of maternal history, newborn clinical symptoms and toxicology testing of the mother should be considered before performing a newborn drug test.

Meconium Testing

• Meconium is the dark substance that is passed through a newborn's rectum the first few days after birth until milk-based stools develop. According to arupconsult.com, it is the preferred method of drug testing because it can detect any drug use that has occurred within the last 4 to 5 months of pregnancy.

Answer 2

yes they do and around where i live they say that it is "random" but they only do it on the natives. well that's my point of view and I'm sticking to it. because why would you drug test the new born of a judge you don't really expect them to have meth in hteir system. but the thing is they could any body could be a user and I don't think that people thnk about that.

any ways yes they do drug test new borns they use the babies first poop and i just got done reading an article saying that it is not that accurate.

Answer 3

Yes. A baby born to a drug using mother will have the same drugs in their blood as the mother. Pregnant women who use drugs on a regular basis will often go into premature labor and/or have placental abruption and have a baby who is very low birth weight and a small head, for gestational age they may also have brain damage.

The duration of symptoms depend upon the amount of narcotics a mother consumed and how much the baby had remaining in the bloodstream at the time of birth, some drugs actually remain in the baby longer than they would an adult.

Drug babies often hold themselves very stiff and their startle reflex is extreme, they are very difficult to soothe and they are very irritable, they suffer from tremors, sleeplessness, muscle spasms, and feeding difficulties they may also have poor muscle control - their cry is piercing and heart breaking to listen to - because there is so little that can been done to make them feel better.

Drug addicted babies quickly become jittery as their drug source has been cut off and they go into withdrawal. They pain they go through to get the drugs out of their system include irritability, convulsions, diarrhea, fever, sleep abnormalities, difficulty sucking and joint stiffness.

These babies are at risk for AIDS, SIDS, ADD and other learning difficulties.

The good/bad thing about being born addicted is it is completely avoidable - a woman who kicks her habit before her baby is born will not give birth to an addicted baby. It is a gift that lasts a lifetime.

Answer:

A baby is weaker than adults. Pretty much, the hospital keeps a newborn baby for 3 days. During the first day , various tests are conducted to see if the baby is healthy. If a baby is addicted to drugs, the effects of taking drugs will come out sooner, and the baby will die sooner. Basically, anyone can tell if a babies taking drugs (nerves unhinged, seizures ect.)

Answer 4

doctors take a small blood sample at birth