Can anything be done?

[Ohiogal]

Well, the "good" (and that is not the word I would like to use) thing is that opiates stay in your system much longer than meth. If mom is still using, it's highly unlikely that she will try to quit on her own, while pregnant. Heroin addicts will avoid being "dope sick" at almost all costs.

Nursery nurses and doctors are very familiar with infant signs of withdrawal. They likely won't drug test mom if there isn't an obvious reason to do so, until the baby starts showing withdrawal symptoms and they test the baby.

Two things really concern me. One, I hope she doesn't try and deliver this child at home and not in a hospital and two, most moms are discharged SO soon after delivery, that it IS possible that Mom and baby could be discharged before the baby starts showing signs and symptoms of opiate withdrawal.

I'm racking my brain about this one. Did you say earlier that you had contacted CPS? If you haven't, you might do that and they may have some more advice.

There is no child for CPS to protect.

 

[mistoffolees]

There is no child for CPS to protect.

Oops. Forgot that 'minor' issue.

In this situation, where Mom keeps moving around and no one knows where to reach her, it's going to be particularly hard.

Paternal grandparents got the first child. Any chance that they can get involved and ask the hospital to test for drugs on delivery?

 

[Just Blue]

Oops. Forgot that 'minor' issue.

Nope. Try again!!!

 

[Ohiogal]

Oops. Forgot that 'minor' issue.

In this situation, where Mom keeps moving around and no one knows where to reach her, it's going to be particularly hard.

Paternal grandparents got the first child. Any chance that they can get involved and ask the hospital to test for drugs on delivery?

Now you are assuming that this child has the SAME father as the first child. Hospitals normally ask a lot of questions including where the mother obtained prenatal care. If it was spotty that sends up a red flag.

 

[1300 feet]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OH but maybe IN

I know her name and can find out what hospital is delivering the baby (scheduled c-section). She's had little to no pre-natal care due to the herion addiction.

She won't be released before the baby starts to withdrawl since she's having a scheduled c-section. And that also must mean she's having some sort of prenatal care if an OB has scheduled her c-section.

 

[rbw5147]

She won't be released before the baby starts to withdrawl since she's having a scheduled c-section. And that also must mean she's having some sort of prenatal care if an OB has scheduled her c-section.

That's VERY good that's she's having a C-section, so she's looking at at least a 2 day stay, possibly 3. Yes, the baby will begin to withdraw before it is discharged. I highly doubt that she has been honest with her obstetrician about her drug use. It happens, but I doubt it. I had a friend, who was addicted to heroin and pregnant and she checked herself into treatment. She had to be medically withdrawn, as stopping cold turkey could have hurt the baby even more.


I'm curious and I don't know, but somebody else can come back and let you know. If you were to find out who the OB is or even where she is delivering, would it be ok if she were to call and tell the doctor what she knows? Seniors? OG? Can OP do this if she were to get this information? Babies that are born with narcotics in their system, are usually "floppy" and have respiratory distress. Having the NICU nurses present at delivery would be very necessary.

 

[Ohiogal]

That's VERY good that's she's having a C-section, so she's looking at at least a 2 day stay, possibly 3. Yes, the baby will begin to withdraw before it is discharged. I highly doubt that she has been honest with her obstetrician about her drug use. It happens, but I doubt it. I had a friend, who was addicted to heroin and pregnant and she checked herself into treatment. She had to be medically withdrawn, as stopping cold turkey could have hurt the baby even more.


I'm curious and I don't know, but somebody else can come back and let you know. If you were to find out who the OB is or even where she is delivering, would it be ok if she were to call and tell the doctor what she knows? Seniors? OG? Can OP do this if she were to get this information? Babies that are born with narcotics in their system, are usually "floppy" and have respiratory distress. Having the NICU nurses present at delivery would be very necessary.

Yes she can call the hospital if she knows and let them know about the possibility. But if she is wrong then she may find herself with issues.

 

[sometwo]

would it be ok if she were to call and tell the doctor what she knows?

If she's wrong she could be in trouble.


You can always call anyone and say what you want, but they cannot release any information to you, and you could be charged with slander if its false and your prosecuted.

 

[rbw5147]

If she's wrong she could be in trouble.


You can always call anyone and say what you want, but they cannot release any information to you, and you could be charged with slander if its false and your prosecuted.

I wonder, because an OB can drug test a patient at any time. Drug test comes back negative-- no harm/no foul. Positive, it doesn't matter why it was ordered. Doctor's don't have to explain why it was done.

If it's negative, it doesn't matter. If it's positive, it's not slander.

 

[sometwo]

I wonder, because an OB can drug test a patient at any time. Drug test comes back negative-- no harm/no foul. Positive, it doesn't matter why it was ordered. Doctor's don't have to explain why it was done.

If it's negative, it doesn't matter. If it's positive, it's not slander.

Doctors might not have to explain why its done but patient could find out who called dr and told them that she needs drug tested. The dr wouldn't have confidentiality with her only with the patient .

ETA: I knew a dr that if his patients said they quit smoking he would have me draw a nicotine blood test on them when doing the lab. Sometimes the patients would know but I don't think all the patients actually asked what we were drawing. I think some assumed it was just random stuff and didn't question (which btw you should never just let them you should always ask questions and know what's going on)

I guess its possible to do it like that . I'm not sure how the laws work on that stuff . I just do what the dr tells me.

 

[mistoffolees]

I wonder, because an OB can drug test a patient at any time. Drug test comes back negative-- no harm/no foul. Positive, it doesn't matter why it was ordered. Doctor's don't have to explain why it was done.

If it's negative, it doesn't matter. If it's positive, it's not slander.

If the doctor is informed anonymously, then the doctor has to decide whether to test Mom before birth or not.

 

[rbw5147]

Doctors might not have to explain why its done but patient could find out who called dr and told them that she needs drug tested. The dr wouldn't have confidentiality with her only with the patient .

ETA: I knew a dr that if his patients said they quit smoking he would have me draw a nicotine blood test on them when doing the lab. Sometimes the patients would know but I don't think all the patients actually asked what we were drawing. I think some assumed it was just random stuff and didn't question (which btw you should never just let them you should always ask questions and know what's going on)

I guess its possible to do it like that . I'm not sure how the laws work on that stuff . I just do what the dr tells me.

I don't think the doctor would have to explain why it was done or who called, blah, blah. (I was a nurse for 16 years) It's becoming more and more common for Obstetricians to do random drug screens. If it's negative, it's likely the patient will never even know the test was even done. If it's positive, I don't think the emphasis is going to be on WHY it was done, it's going to be on the fact that it's positive and that this baby is going to need immediate and out of the ordinary personnel and medical treatment as soon as it's born. If she tests positive, she likely won't see it this way at the time, but she should be eternally grateful (if cares about this child at all-- say what you want, but being a drug addict doesn't mean that she doesn't care about her child. She is sick and needs help.) If she tests positive ahead of time, there will be protocols and procedures set up in advance to help this baby.


A urine sample is collected at every OB visit. (I'm a nurse and I have 5 children). It's not invasive and it's pretty simple to do a dip stick U/A drug analysis. I would love to see this woman raise hell about somebody calling her doctor out of concern for this baby, if she does test positive.

 

[ecmst12]

Minimum hospital stay for a c-section is FOUR days, not 2 or 3. It's major surgery.

 

[acmb05]

No one really has to tell the DR. anything. Heroin addicts are very easy to spot. I am sure the DR will know the signs.

 

[acmb05]

Minimum hospital stay for a c-section is FOUR days, not 2 or 3. It's major surgery.

Sorry but my ex was in the hospital for 2 days. She had c-section on Monday afternoon and was discharged on Wed morning. Minimum hospital stay is whatever the insurance company says it is.