Testing babies at birth, particularly if the mother has not yet tested for HIV and has not given an informed consent to test her baby, raises a number of issues. Before attempting to formulate policies for testing newborns, women and policy makers must be clear on what different types of HIV tests can and can't determine, how much time is necessary to obtain accurate results, and what options exist for preventing vertical transmission after delivery. There are three primary policies of HIV testing for pregnant women and newborns. Many policies call for a written informed consent signed by the woman. Written informed consent has the advantage of documenting that the woman was advised about HIV testing.
Women have the right to accept or refuse the test.
Voluntary testing coupled with counseling and informed consent facilitates a woman's ability to make informed decisions about her healthcare and that of her newborn. Since 1995, voluntary testing has been the policy recommended by the US Public Health Service Guidelines. There are many reasons to support this policy. First and foremost, it works. Quality prenatal care and effective HIV prevention strategies coupled with voluntary testing and counseling have dramatically decreased vertical transmission rates.