Texas To Seek Universal Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Screening: Will It Be Used to Further Shame Women?

[ensho]

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/09/16/texas-seek-universal-fetal-alchol-syndrome-screening


Last week state health officials in Texas announced they're aiming to have "universal screening" of all pregnant Texans to determine their alcohol use, in an attempt at curbing instances of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which they report affects one in 100 children in the state and can cause developmental delays and physical or behavioral disorders.

-snip-

"They'll ask her a few questions, and from that they'll determine whether she's at higher risk or not," explains Sharkis. "The beauty of it is in a very short amount of time you can have a huge impact on a child's life."

-snip-

Listen to our own Amanda Marcotte when she talks about a study that links FAS to male infertility: "My concern isn’t with this study or the reporting so much as the hyper-focus on pregnant women’s behavior and choices over all other influences on fetal health, particularly environmental ones pregnant women have no control over." Even though state health officials in Texas clearly mean well, I can't help but think of potentially creepy implications related to the anti-choice personhood movement, which in part aims to analyze every move a pregnant woman makes in hopes of catching her in a criminal act for endangering her fetus.

-snip-

In Texas, however, we have a huge uninsured population, and with rapidly and dramatically shrinking public health funds here, it may be harder than ever to reach pregnant women for even basic prenatal care, let alone FAS screening. Fifty percent of births in Texas happen on Medicaid, notes Sharkis, and she says it's more important than ever to pass health care reform so pregnant women can have the health care they need. "If that is implemented fully, more people will have access to health care," she says. Even Lousiana didn't cut funds the way Texas has, she says, because "this is saving money."
---------------------------

an aside: notice this comment "Even Lousiana didn't cut funds the way Texas has,"

[krispos42]

1. But then where will they get their future Presidental candidates? n/t

[hatrack]

2. And how do they plan to do that, given slashed funding for the same womens' clinics?

Unbelievable.

[get the red out]

3. I'm sure there's a way

You know those people that want Guv'ment to get their hands off; they will find a way to fund anything that can further monitor a pregnant (or any) woman's every move. Now on pre-natal care and all that, well, she's on her own! The Guv'ment doesn't have money to waste on that.

[jwirr]

4. Babies are routinely screened here in MN but then we do not have

Rick Perry of a Governor. These children need help and early screening is one of the best ways to help them.