No drug testing
Now I’m all for a healthy mom equals a healthy baby. But it is my option that it is not the doctor’s job to do random drug test unless it is a minatory one that is part of the check up. There has been many times of doctors asking for a urine test when it is not part of the check up. Although there has been casing where the mom was abusing drugs most of the time it is Discriminatory. These drug tests are sometimes taking without the using knowing there are testing for drugs and are focused towards poor women of color. This is very wrong and should not be done without the knowledge of the mother. As far as the drug user moms, it is their responsibility to get help if needed. The doctor should also go over the risk of what could happen. But doing a random drug test is not the way. Once again doing minatory urine test as part of the check up is ok, but doing without the mother’s knowledge or consent is very wrong.
Drug Tests of Pregnant Women Are Discriminatory. Mary Faith Marshall.
Opposing Viewpoints: Chemical Dependency. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003.
Testing Pregnant Women for Drug Abuse Is Discriminatory. Lawrence O. Gostin.
Opposing Viewpoints: Drug Abuse. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005.
I agree with you very much when you say that hospitals and doctors offices shouldn't be doing random drug testing without the consent of the mother. I think all women should have the urine tests just in case but each individual woman no matter what race or class should have the test. Another reason why the testing isnt the best is because it costs a lot of money each time that it is done. You say that you are against it but you dont have to many facts on why you are or why it shouldnt be done? The cost for urine drug screening is about $19 dollars a time and positive drug tests costs another $70 dollars (Harris 42). Another problem with these urine tests is that sometimes they have a very high-false poitive rate. Which means the urine tests come out positive but no drugs have been taken. Another reason that i don't think that urine tests should be taken is because even a mother finding out she is pregnant and now the doctors know, "it doesnt even loosen the grip that addicting drugs have on a mother" (42). But what are your thoughts then about women not going in for pre-natal care when they know they are pregnant? A lot of mothers that know they will be having urine tests know they can get caught using drugs, so they dont go in to get their prenatal care....so sometimes doing the urine tests without telling them at least will keep the mothers coming in and having the baby checked up on.
ReplyDeleteHarris, Wesley J. "Get yours hands off my urine." search.ebscohost.com.cenproxy.mnpals.net. Points of View referance Center, April 2009, Vol. 23 Issue 3, p41-44. Web. 30, Jan. 2009.
I can agree with you and what you are saying about testing the pregnant mothers and without them knowing. But it is also common sense that the mother is not just hurting herself, She is injurying the fetus also. When the doctor's give them drug tests it will come up that they are doing the drugs, and yes it is the mothers choice but why let it go on when you can try and stop it them from hurting the baby.
ReplyDelete