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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>81381</law_id><section_number>54.1-2403.01</section_number><catch_line>Routine component of prenatal care</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="24">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As a routine component of prenatal care, every practitioner licensed pursuant to this subtitle who renders prenatal care, including any holder of a multistate licensure <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to practice nursing, regardless of the site of such practice, shall inform every pregnant woman who is his patient that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening is recommended for all pregnant patients and that she will receive an HIV test as part of the routine <span class="dictionary">panel</span> of prenatal tests unless she declines (opt-out screening). The practitioner shall offer the pregnant woman oral or written information that includes an explanation of HIV infection, a description of interventions that can reduce HIV transmission from mother to infant, and the meaning of positive and negative test results. The confidentiality provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Confidentiality of test for human immunodeficiency virus; civil penalty; individual action for damages or penalty" href="/32.1-36.1/">32.1-36.1</a>, test result disclosure conditions, and appropriate counseling requirements of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Consent for testing for human immunodeficiency virus; condition on disclosure of test results; counseling required; exceptions" href="/32.1-37.2/">32.1-37.2</a> shall apply to any HIV testing conducted pursuant to this section. Practitioners shall <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> all pregnant women with HIV-positive test results about the dangers to the fetus and the advisability of receiving treatment in accordance with the then current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for HIV-positive pregnant women. Any pregnant woman shall have the right to refuse testing for HIV infection and any recommended treatment. Documentation of such refusal shall be maintained in the patient&#x2019;s medical record. <a id="paragraph-291632" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2403.01/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> As a routine component of prenatal care, every practitioner licensed pursuant to this subtitle who renders prenatal care, including any holder of a multistate licensure <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to practice nursing, regardless of the site of such practice, upon receipt of a positive test result from a prenatal test for Down syndrome or other <span class="dictionary">prenatally diagnosed conditions</span> performed on a patient, the health care provider involved may provide the patient with information about the Virginia Department of Health genetics program website and shall provide the patient with up-to-date, scientific written information concerning the life expectancy, clinical course, and intellectual and functional development and treatment options for an unborn child diagnosed with or child born with Down syndrome or other <span class="dictionary">prenatally diagnosed conditions</span>. He may also provide a referral to support services providers, including information hotlines specific to Down syndrome or other <span class="dictionary">prenatally diagnosed conditions</span>, resource centers or clearinghouses, and other education and support programs. For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">prenatally diagnosed condition</span>&#x201D; means any fetal health condition identified by prenatal genetic testing or prenatal screening procedures. <a id="paragraph-291633" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2403.01/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1995, c. 309; 2004, c. 49; 2007, cc. 780, 822; 2008, c. 641.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
