I would refuse to pay if I was billed for that.

No more poppy seed muffins for me I guess

OP here, thank you for the responses everyone. To be clear, I am not claiming that what they did was illegal. As I mentioned in my original post, I understand that I could have and should have asked for more details about exactly what they were testing, and lesson learned. However, I can guarantee that I did not sign anything that day authorizing any drug screen or any blood work at all(which I guess they don't need from a legal perspective).

Regardless of the legal status I do feel disrespected. As to the reasons I care, it is a matter of trust and consent. I don't want to feel like a suspect every time i seek medical care and even though I don't use drugs, I dislike the idea of women who do use drugs becoming targets by seeking care.

I am skeptical of the idea that making a fuss about this would "raise red flags" in the system but if it did, I would find that all the more reason to make a fuss. I think the practice is unethical and raising red flags over complaints about an unethical practice is even more unethical. In any case, I feel decently well placed to defend myself against any false suspicion, but of course I would rather not have to.

With all that said, I don't know if there is much I can do. I can complain to the various oversight boards and to Kaiser directly. I could also have a frank conversation with my doctor. I might try some subset of those options but I don't anticipate any progress.

Thank you all again for your feedback.

I have Kaiser as well and had the same experience when I was pregnant with my first (2020). I was shocked they tested for drugs - no I wasn’t using, the most I’ve done was smoke some weed in college a decade prior to pregnancy. It felt uncomfortable to me at the time, though I can’t figure out why. I get it. When I had my second in 2023 (Kaiser again), the same thing happened but I didn’t care.

For what it’s worth, my aunt told me it’s standard practice. She was an L+D nurse for many years.

Anonymous wrote:It’s important medical information and should be routine. If a baby is going to go through withdrawal symptoms after delivery or there are medical complications associated with the drugs the providers need to know.

Children in households where cocaine is abused are at risk of violence and neglect, and those in foster care may experience problems due to unstable family situations.

Crack babies are a problem

Anonymous wrote:She did give consent. She said so. She needs to ask more questions of her doctors. It’s a good habit, esp when becoming a parent.

I dunno, how do you think it would have gone if she asked? I doubt the doctor would have said a thing.

She did give consent. She said so. She needs to ask more questions of her doctors. It’s a good habit, esp when becoming a parent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Might be "normal" but it doesn't make it ethical or even legal. There was a supreme court decision saying that it was not allowed in many circumstances, which this probably falls under.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1119949/

You should not be trying to play lawyer. The decision is very narrow.

+1

Making a huge fuss about this may well raise red flags, OP. The state/med system have an interest in the well being of the baby, not just you.

Do you have a sense of why you are reacting so strongly? Is pregnancy triggering issues around autonomy and control for you?

Anonymous wrote:It’s important medical information and should be routine. If a baby is going to go through withdrawal symptoms after delivery or there are medical complications associated with the drugs the providers need to know.

You think medical tests should be given without consent? Because I agree that this is useful medical information, but the point is that it is being collected in a dishonest and unethical way. If providers want to know, they should build trust that they won't go running to CPS and then actually ask the patient and then don't go running to CPS.

Otherwise, you have doctors intervening without patient consent and in addition to eroding trust in the medical system more generally, the result is that drug users will not seek prenatal care at all.

I had two babies at Sibley with Foxhall (2020 and 2023) and didn’t get drug tested unless they somehow did and didn’t report the results. -white woman

Your results were probably unremarkable, thus no memorable conversation on the topic.

Also, you did give permission to have the bloodwork done. You can read the lab slip.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a routine part of pregnancy testing. They do not treat women who come back positive as criminals.

This. Worked at Sibley. You'd be amazed at how many of the rich white women had cocaine in their systems.

I had two babies at Sibley with Foxhall (2020 and 2023) and didn’t get drug tested unless they somehow did and didn’t report the results. -white woman

It’s important medical information and should be routine. If a baby is going to go through withdrawal symptoms after delivery or there are medical complications associated with the drugs the providers need to know.