Text: HF02181 Text: HF02183 Text: HF02100 - HF02199 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.23 GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS
1 2 TESTING.
1 3 1. A standard of care protocol is established for
1 4 physicians providing prenatal care regarding group B
1 5 streptococcus in recognition of its potential for causing
1 6 life-threatening infections in newborn babies. A physician
1 7 shall test a pregnant patient for group B streptococcus,
1 8 inform the patient and the hospital to which the patient is
1 9 admitted of the results, and discuss treatment options with
1 10 the patient if the patient tests positive.
1 11 2. A physician providing prenatal care to a pregnant
1 12 patient shall routinely perform screening cultures for group B
1 13 streptococcus between the thirty-fifth and thirty-seventh
1 14 weeks of pregnancy. The physician shall inform the patient of
1 15 the test result, and shall give the patient information
1 16 regarding group B streptococcus risks, diagnosis, prevention,
1 17 and, if the test result is positive, treatment.
1 18 3. A patient testing positive for group B streptococcus
1 19 shall have this status reported to the hospital or birth
1 20 facility to which the patient is admitted by the physician or
1 21 a designated member of the physician's staff. This
1 22 information shall be entered upon a patient's medical records
1 23 by a physician or by a designated hospital or birth facility
1 24 staff member at the time of delivery.
1 25 4. As used in this section, "physician" means a physician
1 26 licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic
1 27 medicine and surgery.
1 28 Sec. 2. The director of public health shall adopt rules
1 29 pursuant to section 17A.4, subsection 2, and section 17A.5,
1 30 subsection 2, paragraph "b", necessary to administer this
1 31 section and the rules shall become effective July 1, 1996.
1 32 Sec. 3. This Act, being deemed of immediate importance,
1 33 takes effect upon enactment.
1 34 EXPLANATION
1 35 This bill provides for the routine testing of pregnant
2 1 patients for group B streptococcus (GBS), which causes life-
2 2 threatening infections in newborn babies, by physicians
2 3 providing prenatal care between the 35th and 37th weeks of
2 4 pregnancy. Prenatal care providers shall inform patients of
2 5 the results and supply information regarding GBS risks,
2 6 diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in the event of a
2 7 positive test result. Positive test results will be reported
2 8 to the patient's designated hospital or birth facility and
2 9 entered upon the patient's medical records.
2 10 The bill directs the director of public health to adopt
2 11 emergency rules pursuant to chapter 17A necessary to
2 12 administer this section, and includes an immediate effective
2 13 date.
2 14 LSB 3897HH 76
2 15 rn/cf/24
Text: HF02181 Text: HF02183 Text: HF02100 - HF02199 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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