KENTUCKY: KMA Approves Mandatory HIV Testing for Pregnant Women

A resolution passed Wednesday by the Kentucky Medical Association will require HIV testing for all pregnant women in the state, regardless of whether they are at risk for the disease, the Associated Press reports. The resolution will require the state's 6,000 KMA members to follow its guidelines. Dr. Harry Carloss, president of the association, said that "too few women" are tested for the virus; he believes the decree will make HIV testing for pregnant women "a standard practice in Kentucky." He added, "A lot of people think they cannot be victims of AIDS. ... It's not worth the risk. When you have a baby born with HIV, that baby doesn't have a chance," estimating that the cost of treating an HIV-positive infant is between $100,000 and $200,000. A previous 1995 AMA resolution recommended that doctors conduct prenatal testing for HIV, but doctors were not required to follow the resolution (Associated Press, 9/21).